


all the words in the world may not be enough

by tattooedsiren



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-14
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2017-11-18 15:08:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 138
Words: 143,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/562398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tattooedsiren/pseuds/tattooedsiren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles, mini-fics, suits-meme mini fills and comment fics. [each chapter is an individual fic]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the answer to an unasked question

**Author's Note:**

> So, it's been a year since I started writing Suits fics. AO3 tells me that in that time I've written 28 fics, totalling over 120,000 words (and that obviously doesn't include the approx 23k words of fic I'm still working on). I don't think I've ever written this much in such a short space of time. And I want to say thank you to everyone who has ever commented or given me kudos. This fandom really embraced and supported me from my very first fic, and it means the world to me.
> 
> In celebration, I wrote a little drabble and posted it to [my tumblr](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/). But I thought maybe I would share all the little ficlets I've written this past year here for those of you who don't follow me. This isn't even all of them - I won't post the three sentence fics or some of the super short comment fics - so check out my tumblr for those. I will add any more as I write them. I hope you enjoy. :O)

These are Mike’s favorite moments.

He loves the stillness of the room, the way the whole world ceases to exist outside of these four walls. The way their breathing, shallow and steady, is the only thing they can hear, their chests rising and falling in perfect synchronicity. The soft light of the room casts its glow on their bodies, naked skin still glistening with a thin sheen of sweat, the occasional dark shadow of a lovebite marring their otherwise flawless skin.

Harvey still touches him, whether it’s their legs entangled beneath the covers or long fingers wrapped lightly around his wrist or his hand flat to his chest or his mouth gently ghosting over the skin of Mike’s shoulder. Words are rare, and always whispered, both reluctant to infringe on the calm of the room.

It’s in this space that they can take time out from being all the things they are to the world. They aren’t corporate lawyers, they aren’t sons and brothers and grandchildren and friends, they aren’t closers and associates, they aren’t a boss and his subordinate. They are just Harvey and Mike; two people who have found a small moment of contentment in an unrelenting world.

Mike is loath to break the perfection of this moment, but there is something in him, a need to reaffirm, to make sure Harvey knows. They don’t say it very often, and Mike is genuinely okay with that. He doesn’t need a declaration every day to know how Harvey feels. Because it’s in every touch, every look, every word that is spoken and everything that goes unsaid. But Mike feels a surge not just of love but of gratitude. He is so thankful, for Harvey, for the life they have together, and he wants him to know that he could never take this for granted.

So he shifts closer, threads his fingers through Harvey’s loose hair, the dark strands silky smooth under his touch. Harvey turns to face him, lips quirked into a content smile. Mike kisses him, just because he can, and whispers, “I love you.”

Harvey’s smile widens, eyes crinkle as he grins easily at Mike. He leans in and kisses him, a slow press of lips that linger, adds the light touch of his fingertips along Mike’s ribs for emphasis. Mike returns the embrace, licks into his mouth, deepens the kiss. Their tongues caress in a simple dance, slow and sensual. There is no rush, no thoughts of this being a prelude to something else. This is all they need in this moment.

When Mike breaks away he lies back down on the pillow, arm slung over Harvey’s waist, eyes closed, content. He can feel Harvey’s touch light on his cheek, his neck. Harvey hasn’t reciprocated his declaration, but Mike doesn’t mind. That’s par for the course in their relationship. He doesn’t need the constant validation, and it makes the times that Harvey does say it all the more special.

Mike doesn’t know how long it is they both lie there in silence together, doesn’t know the number of minutes that have passed since he last spoke, but eventually he can feel Harvey take in a deep breath before he whispers, “You are the answer to a question I never asked.”

Mike’s lips quirk into a lazy smile. The pads of Harvey’s fingertips idly trace his smile, and Mike presses a light kiss to them.

With no context such a statement might sound indifferent, maybe even borderline rude. But Mike knows Harvey too well, and he knows that it’s actually one of the most romantic things he has ever said.

Because if there is one defining characteristic of their relationship it’s trust. That trust lead to full disclosure, so Mike already knows that Harvey didn’t see this coming, had no intention of ever getting this close to someone, certainly not Mike, and that if he did know he might have gone out of his way to avoid it. But by the time he realized the true depth of his feelings, the weight of their connection, he was in too deep, could not extract Mike from his life in any way even if he wanted to.

So yeah, he never asked for Mike, never imagined or planned for him. But when he arrived, when this relationship was born, Harvey still surrendered wholeheartedly, allowed his life to be turned upside down because Mike was everything he didn’t ask for and never knew he wanted but he was so incredibly thankful for it anyway. And that is all that matters.

Mike’s hand grips tighter to Harvey’s hip, and he shifts slightly in the bed, leg sliding between Harvey’s, and they lie there together, quiet and content, until sleep claims them both.


	2. A New Bed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a mini-fill for the suits meme.

Harvey is good. Really good. Mike will even go so far as to say he’s _I never want to be with anyone else, best I’ve ever had_ type good.

But for all his talents Harvey cannot physically make the earth move beneath them. Sometimes Mike thinks that’s his goal, when Mike’s knees dig into the mattress and his forehead is pressed to ridiculously opulent sheets and Harvey is thrusting hard and fast and Mike can do nothing but gasp for breath and grip at the sheets and enjoy the ride. But Harvey doesn’t have command over the elements and never will.

And then, as if to prove Mike wrong, the bed collapses from under them. 

The noise of snapping wood is louder than the panting and moans of the two men and a small scream might escape Mike’s lips as they fall two feet but Harvey the talented bastard doesn’t stop, doesn’t even acknowledge it, just keeps moving. It only takes a few seconds for Mike to forget about it too, pushing his body back and silently urging Harvey to go deeper, and Harvey’s fingers dig into his skin and everything feel so fucking good and he comes with a cry, eyes squeezed shut and hands fisting into the sheets.

His whole body feels weak and drained but he remains in place, takes ragged breaths as he tries to refill his lungs. He knows Harvey had been holding out, waiting for him, so it doesn’t take long for Harvey to come, a guttural cry escaping his lips.

Mike finally lets himself fall, crashes down onto the mattress, and Harvey follows suit, collapsing beside him, all sweaty and warm skin and limbs thrown haphazardly over hips. 

“You broke the bed,” Mike says as soon as he is able, amusement tinging the accusation.

“I think you’ll find _we_ broke the bed,” Harvey corrects.

Mike laughs. He turns over, presses his mouth to Harvey’s chest, buries his head into his neck. “You need a new bed.”

Harvey’s arms and legs completely enclose Mike as he says, “You mean _we_ need a new bed.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: celebrating Mike making junior partner.

Even after all these years he still isn’t used to places like this. The room feels too large, too opulent. It’s packed full of clients and colleagues, friends and foes, and they are all here for him.

It’s surreal. He didn’t think he would make it this far, fully anticipated that their secret would have been discovered long before he could reach this pinnacle. But the lie they tell the world is still perceived to be the truth and he has been promoted to Junior Partner without a JD and everyone is congratulating him and slapping him on the back and it doesn’t feel at all real.

He feels a presence beside him, turns to see that it’s Harvey, and Harvey somehow manages to simultaneously greet the client Mike had been talking to while muttering so only Mike can hear, “Smile, Mike. At least pretend like you are having a good time.”

Mike doesn’t get a chance to respond because Harvey has started talking to the small group he has just invaded and everyone, like they always do, turns their attention to him. To anyone else it might seem like arrogance, like hogging the spotlight, but Mike can see the gesture for what it really is. Because Harvey knows that Mike still hates this, the large crowds, the focus being solely on him, so taking control and attention away is more for Mike’s benefit than Harvey’s arrogance. A smile slowly forms on Mike’s face, finally, genuine and warm, before a client asking him a question steals him from his thoughts.

The evening is long and boring, but Mike does his due, smiles for a million photos, makes a small speech (during which he thanks Jessica and Rachel and pretty much implies that Harvey is both the best and worst boss in the world), gets through the evening as best he can. As guest of honour he is the last to remain, and when the room finally empties he breathes a sigh of relief. He grabs his coat and tries not to run out the door.

The cab ride across the city takes too damn long but finally he’s home. He crashes through the front door, kicks off his shoes, leaves his jacket in a heap on the floor as he pads across the apartment to the bedroom. He collapses face first onto the bed, the movement eliciting a chuckle from Harvey, at which point Mike looks up to glare at him.

“Rough night, baby?” Harvey asks, grinning.

In lieu of an answer Mike crawls across the bed, settling himself in Harvey’s lap and kissing him soundly. He can feel Harvey laugh against his lips before the older man tosses the book he was reading aside and grabs onto Mike’s tie, using it to pull him that much closer. They kiss lazily, enjoying the moment for what it is.

When Mike finally pulls away Harvey reaches up, runs his fingertips soothingly over his face and asks, “So what will it be – sleep or celebratory sex?”

Mike grins. “Oh, I think you know,” he replies, kissing him again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: harvey is the teacher, mike is the student.

Mike likes to read. Always has. Books have been the one constant in his life, always there when he needs them. They are a great source of comfort and knowledge. He believes the answers to any question you could possibly ask are all to be found in the written word – you just have to find the right book.

When this particular problem rears its head he doesn’t go scurrying off to the nearest bookstore in search of answers. Because that would mean he would have to acknowledge the issue in the first place. And his initial instinct is to ignore it, hope it will go away. Because these feelings are too surreal, too complicated, too much. When that doesn’t work he tries to rationalise them away. It’s just hero-worshipping gone wild, it’s just gratitude gone rogue. The rationalisation works even less than the denial. As much as he wants to he can’t deny it any longer.

He has fallen for Harvey. Hard.

When he finally lets himself admit the truth he does then seek out some knowledge. He wanders the bookshop in a daze and buys dozens of books in every form – self help, medical, classic literature, romance novels ranging from the highbrow to the trashy equivalent of Harlequin.

He inhales the words like oxygen. As a straight man (well that’s what he is used to identifying as but what is he now – gay? bi?) he knew the very basics of gay life, including gay sex, but he figures it’s time to upgrade his knowledge. Not that he even thinks anything could possibly happen between the two of them. He may have lost control over his heart but his rational mind is still well within his grasp. Even if it wasn’t breaking a dozen fraternisation rules, even if Harvey could admit to having _feelings_ , Mike was 99.9% sure that Harvey was completely straight (although he had thought the same about himself until a few weeks ago so maybe he wasn’t the best judge).

They say knowledge is power. Mike doesn’t know about that but what he does know is that he feels more settled, more apt to deal with this life changing realisation now he has this new knowledge floating around his brain. He accepts the feelings, stops trying to fight them, just tries to not let them show.

He should’ve known that wouldn’t work. Because Harvey has always told him what an open book he is, how easy he is to read. And he honestly doesn’t mean to let his guard down, to be so obvious. But it’s late and the case has been dragging on for weeks, to the point where they had to take the work back to Harvey’s place to keep going, and he finds himself staring unabashedly at Harvey, and Harvey catches him in the act. Mike shakes his head, tries to shake himself out of the daze, ignores the look on Harvey’s face (which he has never seen before but he is too tired to analyse it), mumbles a vague apology.

He reaches for the next contract only as soon as he picks it up Harvey reaches over and pulls it from his grasp, grabbing his now empty hand and pulling him forward, crashing their lips together. It’s nothing like he expected, somehow more than he imagined. He can feel the touch echo throughout his body. He grips onto Harvey’s shirt and greedily pulls him closer, presses as tight as he can. He begins pulling at Harvey’s tie.

“Tell me the truth,” Harvey says between kisses. “Have you ever done this before?”

Mike pulls away, shaking his head. He doesn’t meet Harvey’s eyes, focuses on removing the older man’s tie and then shirt as he says, “I never wanted to, until you. But don’t worry. As soon as I realised what I wanted I read a lot on the subject.”

Harvey looks at him, completely bemused and indulgent. His hands go to Mike’s shirt, slowly undoing the buttons. “Oh Mike,” he breathes, smirking, “this isn’t something you can learn from books.”

Mike finally looks up, meets his gaze. “So teach me.”

“Story of my life,” Harvey mutters, his amused tone completely giving him away. And then he kisses Mike.

Let the lesson begin.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday gift for the awesome smartalli.

Mike doesn’t say anything. All day, he keeps it quiet, pretends like he doesn’t know. And his time with Harvey has apparently made him better at hiding things, because Harvey doesn’t suspect a thing.

He waits until the end of the day. They dominated in court during the morning and mocked Louis in the afternoon and wooed a client at dinner and now finally their time is their own.

After they farewell their client Mike turns to Harvey and says, “Wanna come back to mine tonight?”

They have only been together for two months (after sleeping together for about four months before that, before they defined this, before they admitted their more than friendly feelings) and most of the time they go back to Harvey’s. Because Harvey has the bigger apartment and the softer bed and the beautiful view. Mike loves Harvey’s place, and Harvey knows it. So for Mike to be asking to go back to his place, even though Harvey’s is closer, makes Harvey think there is something going on. He doesn’t connect the dots, discerns the real reason, but he agrees, and they catch a cab to Brooklyn.

As soon as they enter the apartment Mike has his lips on Harvey’s, pushes him to the nearest wall and keeps him there, their bodies pressed tightly together. Harvey smiles against is lips, returns the embrace and starts pulling at Mike’s clothes.

They eventually stumble to the bed, where things get completely inevitable. It shouldn’t still feel this new and exciting, not after all this time, but it does. Mike feels the thrill of their coupling run down his spine, feels the urgency between them, the love that simmers beneath the surface, unacknowledged and unspoken but undeniably there.

After, when they are breathless but satiated, Mike presses a kiss to Harvey’s mouth and says, “Wait here.”

Harvey quirks and eyebrow but says nothing. Mike slips out of the bedroom and pads over to the kitchen. Harvey can hear some rustling before Mike calls out, “Close your eyes.”

Harvey rolls his eyes before obeying. He knows when Mike returns by the dip of the mattress beside him.

“Okay, open them,” Mike whispers, and when Harvey does he sees Mike sitting there, completely naked, a small and imperfect (homebaked?) cake resting on a chipped plate balanced on his lap. There is one lit candle, which illuminates the room surprisingly well.

“Happy birthday, baby,” Mike says, grinning.

Harvey looks between the cake and Mike’s face. He is beaming down at Harvey, and Harvey finds himself returning it. “I’m not going to ask how you knew.”

“Probably best,” Mike nods. “Make a wish.”

Harvey looks at the cake, sees Mike all smiles and light, and before blowing out the candle says, “No need. I have everything I want.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://evildestielshipper.tumblr.com/post/20698422590) gifset. The fic was originally just the first half, but then people wanted more (ie porn) so I wrote a followup. :O)

Harvey has taught hundreds of students. Watched them come in, naïve and fresh faced and ready to conquer the world. Watched them leave, slightly jaded but infinitely smarter and ready to conquer the world.

He’s forgotten most of them. He can recall some names and some faces, but can’t match them up in his mind. They are just a sea of faces in his mind’s eye. There is no one who stands out.

That is, until him. He always sits in the middle of the lecture theatre, wears cheap and average clothes, never takes any notes, twirls a pen in his hand and looks bored the whole time. It should piss him off, and it does, but more than that it intrigues him.

He pays close attention to his (Mike’s) work throughout the semester. Mike never speaks up during a class discussion, only answers when called upon (he looks up, startled, every time Harvey calls his name, like he can’t believe he is really here, like he can’t believe out of everyone Harvey is asking _him_ , and then he answers in what Harvey is pretty sure is a verbatim quote from whatever text or code they are discussing). He aces every test and hands in smart and brilliantly thought out papers and Harvey doesn’t understand. He wants to know more, find out who this kid with the obviously gifted mind is. And it’s not that he couldn’t force the issue if he wanted to, demand to see him to discuss his work, but he is oddly reluctant to pursue this.

He tells himself he’s leaving it be because it’s none of his damn business, because it doesn’t matter and he doesn’t care, because he is busy enough without prying into the lives of students he sees for six months before they move on to the next thing. But he has never been very good at lying to himself. He knows the real reason is much more complicated, that he feels things for this man he knows nothing about, inappropriate and scary things.

But he is nothing if not a professional (he is teaching ethics for fucks sake) so he doesn’t say anything, doesn’t make one move to cross that line, just watches from afar and wonders.

It’s the slowest semester in history. He just wants it over, doesn’t want this weekly reminder that the universe fucking hates him and has decided to torture him by making the one person on this Earth who intrigues him this much _his student_. But he remains strong in his resolve, knows nothing could ever happen. And he is okay with that.

Until, on the last day of semester, there is a knock on his office door and he looks up to see Mike slouched against the wooden frame. “Professor Specter, may I speak with you for a moment?”

Harvey is momentarily dumbstruck, doesn’t know what Mike could possibly want since the semester is over and he passed everything. And he knows, somewhere deep within, that he is about to walk down a dangerous road. He knows he should say no, send him away, but instead replies with, “Of course. Come in, Mr Ross.”

*

Mike closes the door behind him, very obviously clicks the lock into place. Harvey looks up at the noise, standing from the couch where he had been marking papers, suddenly feeling on alert.

Mike’s face remains impassive as he steps into the room. Harvey indicates for Mike to take a seat, but the younger man shakes his head, stands his ground. He waits expectantly for Mike to say whatever it is he has come here to say. But he says nothing, remains silent, just stares at Harvey.

Harvey wants to look away from the intense gaze, but somehow that feels like admitting defeat, so he returns the stare and just waits. He tries to ignore the thudding of his heart against his ribcage, the pulsing of his blood as it rushes through his veins. Mike has never been this bold. Harvey can’t recall a time where he looked at him for more than ten seconds flat but this moment is stretching out from seconds to minutes. The unexplainable want he feels for Mike compounds with every passing moment. This is dangerous, and it needs to stop.

“What can I do for you, Mr Ross?” Harvey finally asks, even though the words feel foolish leaving his mouth.

“It’s Mike,” he replies. “And I think you know.”

And the thing is, Harvey does know. Without a word, without a prelude, he knows exactly. He felt it the moment he set eyes on Mike. It came without warning but it never left, not even as the months rolled by, not even as he tried to talk himself out of it god knows how many times.

But there is reason he never pursued this. It’s not right, it never will be.

“I’m your teacher,” Harvey says, like he can make this go away by outlining the reasons why it can’t happen.

“Not anymore,” Mike says, grinning. He takes a step further into the room, and Harvey’s stomach rolls in anticipation.

“Technically, you may be right. But the thing is - I’ll always be your teacher. It doesn’t matter that the class is over, I will always be your professor and you will always be my student.”

Mike continues inching closer. He slowly makes his way forward, stopping only when he has fully invaded Harvey’s space, mere centimetres separating their bodies.

“Tell me you don’t feel this too.”

Harvey briefly wonders what happened to the seemingly shy and withdrawn Mike, the one who barely said a word for the whole semester. He wonders if he was saving it all up for this. But then he realises that maybe his silence was a defence mechanism, that maybe he was so withdrawn because he too felt that pull, that intrigue, and the only way he could cope with it was to put his head down and keep his distance.

The realisation that these inexplicable feelings are returned should have felt reassuring, gratifying. But all it does is highlight the truth of their situation.

“It doesn’t matter,” Harvey says honestly, sadly, knowing Mike will hear the implied admission. “We can’t do this.”

“I don’t care,” Mike says, before surging forward and kissing him.

Harvey would like to say that he pushed Mike away, that he told him to leave and never come back. Pretty much the opposite occurred: he returns the embrace, hot and demanding, lets Mike push him back down on the couch and climb atop him, thighs pressing hard into his hips. Harvey clutches at him, slips a hand beneath his shirt and grabs at the warm skin beneath.

He knows he should stop this before it goes too far, knows he has already crossed the line but can still stop them from going so far down this path they can’t even see where the line is anymore. But he can’t. Because this feels so good, so _right_.

Mike has unbuttoned his pants and slipped his hand in. Harvey groans, sliding his mouth down Mike’s neck and nibbling at the skin. Mike’s fingers move with certainty but Harvey can’t wait, needs more. He wraps an arm around the younger man and manoeuvres him down onto the couch, positions himself so he lies atop him, whole bodies stretched out and pressing together.

They kiss wildly. Harvey shifts his body up and down, creating a delicious friction. Mike manages to slide his hands between their bodies, despite how close they are, and he quickly undoes his own pants, pushes and pulls at their clothing until there is nothing between them as the move together.

“ _Harvey_ ,” Mike exhales in a light moan, his breath warm on Harvey’s ear.

He feels it travel through his body like a lightning bolt, the desire and need, the absolute necessity that is Mike and what they could be to each other, the knowledge that he is breaking so many rules but he simply doesn’t care. He comes quickly, mouth pressed hard into Mike’s neck. Mike follows soon after, his fingers digging into Harvey’s skin.

The room is filled with the sound of their ragged breath. Harvey finally raises his head to look at Mike. The younger man smiles at him, bright and beautiful, and Harvey finds himself returning it before placing a gentle kiss to his lips.

“We can’t tell anyone,” Harvey says.

Mike nods and tells him, “One thing you will learn about me – I’m great at keeping secrets.”


	7. when I saw you I fell in love and you smiled because you knew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the start of an actual fic but I couldn't get it to work so you get it as a drabble. :O)

Mike wouldn’t go so far as to say it was love at first sight. Lust at first sight however is something he will readily agree to.

Maybe that was the reason that instead of fleeing like any rational person would he instead ended up sitting and casually chatting to Harvey about drug deals and failed schooling and eidetic memory. He could feel it humming through his veins as he spoke, the attraction to this man he knew nothing about. He tried his best to ignore it because really someone like Harvey was never going to be gay or bi and even if he was surely someone else would’ve snapped him up by now. But he couldn’t help the lurch in his stomach when Harvey offered him the job, and when Harvey started rattling off his list of demands all he could think was _I will do anything and everything you ask of me._

So yeah, the lust came first but the love came surprisingly soon after that.

It came mere days later, as a matter of fact. Mike wanted to quit and Harvey chased him down and made him realise how much he still wanted this. Harvey would never admit to caring about Mike (at least not then, not for several years in fact) but Mike could read through the lines. Harvey felt something for Mike, even if he didn’t know exactly what. There was literally no other reason to ask him to stay.

Mike went into work the next day (how could he not, how could he not choose Harvey and this new life over his drug dealing so called best friend, and really the fact that he had known Harvey a few days and Trevor his whole life and he still chose Harvey spoke volumes) and as he stood outside of Harvey’s office he realised with no doubt whatsoever that he was in love with Harvey.

He didn’t even know how that was possible. He had never fallen so hard and so fast for anyone before and he didn’t actually know anything about the older man but despite all that he knew the feelings to be true.

Mike watched Harvey for a few minutes. The older man was feigning reading the paper but he hadn’t moved a muscle so Mike pushed his way into the office. He felt Harvey’s eyes roam consideringly over his body, saw the smile that he tried to hide. Mike told him of his barter transaction and Harvey nodded, proud.

Mike was suddenly overcome with the urge to tell Harvey everything. Which was completely idiotic but he couldn’t help it, something inside him was screaming and he had to give in. Only Harvey cut him off, wouldn’t even let him get the words out, like he somehow knew what Mike was about to say and didn’t want to hear it. So Mike conceded the point, instead telling Harvey that it was time he trusted someone else. It was the closest he could get to telling the truth without saying the words, and given everything Harvey knew about him and his life, the fact that it was Harvey he was putting his trust in should have got the same message across anyway. Harvey smiled and hit him on the shoulder and all Mike could think was _fuck, I am so screwed._


	8. three piece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by pics of Patrick J Adams in a three piece suit.

Harvey absolutely does not start and his jaw does not drop and he’s features don’t express surprise or pride or a healthy dose of lust. Mike smiles at him, like he can see straight through Harvey’s expertly schooled expression to the truth underneath, and Harvey reluctantly thinks that he probably can. Mike slowly walks into the room, hands shoved deep into his pockets. His arms have brushed back his suit jacket, perfectly framing the vest of his clearly new three piece suit.

Harvey slowly rakes his eyes over Mike’s form. His suit is expensive (and has three pieces, he can’t wrap his brain around that even as he stares at the evidence right in front of him), his tie isn’t skinny, his hair is styled but not slicked. He sees Mike’s eyes fly to his mouth, and Harvey realises he must’ve licked his lips while blatantly staring at Mike.

“I take it you approve?” Mike asks, voice low.

Harvey grabs at a pen on his desk, shifts in his seat, feels restless and on edge. Mike grins, large and unabashed. He knows exactly the effect he has on Harvey at the best of times, but this, this is crossing the line.

“Grab your stuff,” Harvey says, standing and buttoning his jacket and physically pushing Mike from the office and watching him stumble to his cubicle. He tells Donna they are going to talk to a witness (“Sure you are, Harvey,” she replies with a wink) and Harvey meets Mike downstairs in the lobby.

Luckily Harvey’s condo isn’t far, and they manage the cab ride over and the torturously slow elevator ride in silence, not touching, barely even looking at each other. But as soon as they walk through the front door Harvey has his hands on Mike, their bodies are pressed together, mouths moving together hungrily. Harvey’s fingertips glide reverently over the soft material of Mike’s vest.

“I take it you approve?” Mike asks once more as his mouth presses into the hollow of Harvey’s throat.

“Yes,” Harvey groans, clutching at Mike desperately, needing to get closer, needing to have more. He pushes Mike’s jacket from his shoulders, begins unbuttoning the far too many buttons on the vest, growls with impatience.

Mike laughs. “Now you know what it’s like for me trying to get through all your damn layers.”

Harvey undoes the last button with a flourish and a grin. Mike nods approvingly before Harvey carefully pushes the material from his body.

Harvey kisses him again, nimble fingers working at the clothes that separate them until there is nothing left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://the-strangest-love.tumblr.com/post/11804371354/domestic-harvey) graphic.

The sheets are soft and crisp against his bare skin. His eyes follow Harvey as the older man moves easily around the room. Mike can’t not look, finds it near impossible to tear his eyes away, wants to soak this moment up and store it away for later.

The novelty should’ve worn off by now. Because it’s been months and they are still together, haven’t driven each other away with harsh words or unreturned feelings. On the contrary, every day Mike can feel all the feelings he has for this man deepening. Even when he doesn’t think it’s possible, surely he must have maxed out on his feelings, nope, sure enough he’ll wake up and see Harvey asleep beside him, completely endearing with his smooth lines and scruffy hair, and he falls that little bit more in love.

Harvey catches him staring, and Mike grins unabashedly at him. Harvey takes one last sip of scotch and puts the tumbler down, stalking back to the bed. He climbs on at the foot, crawls forward and presses his mouth to Mike’s upturned face. They kiss languidly, as though they have all the time in the world, as though the real world isn’t lurking outside the room, just waiting for the right time to strike.

Harvey presses his body into Mike’s, hands lingering on his ribs as his mouth slowly makes its way down his neck. And Mike can’t help but think that the world can do whatever the fuck it wants, because nothing can pull him away from this, the warmth and comfort of their bed, the feel of Harvey’s body against his own, the knowledge that this life is nothing but a series of moments and all his moments will be by Harvey’s side.


	10. You Are Mine and I Am Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as an episode tag for 2x01.

“You’re mine.”

“I am.”

“You owe me everything now.”

“I always did.”

And with that Harvey finally stops teasing and pushes in. Mike’s breath hitches in surprise, in relief. He presses his face to the mattress, grasping onto the sheets for purchase as Harvey moves in earnest.

To say it feels incredible is an understatement of epic proportions. Nothing has ever felt to right, so real. It feels like coming home. Mike decides then and there that he wants to stay in this moment for forever.

Their movements are frantic and desperate, the rollercoaster of emotions over the last few days coming out in their actions. Everything was always so heightened between them, charged in a way Mike had never experienced before, and that is never more evident than right now, the room filling with breathy moans and every touch, every thrust, setting his skin on fire.

He pushes back up, knees digging into the mattress as he kneels, back pressed to Harvey’s chest. The older man’s arm circle and enclose him to keep him in place, fingers splayed wide on his chest and stomach. Mike tilts his head and mouths at Harvey’s neck.

“I’m yours. I’m so, so yours.”

Harvey makes a noise almost like a growl and claims Mike’s mouth with his own. He thrusts his tongue in rhythm with his cock and it’s all too much. Mike reaches down and after a few quick pumps he comes.

Harvey presses their bodies even closer as he makes the last few thrusts before coming with Mike’s name falling from his lips. They collapse onto the bed in a tangle of sweaty limbs and heaving chests.

“If this is the result of Jessica finding out the truth about me I can’t say that I regret that our secret is no longer intact.”

“Seriously?” Harvey asks, incredulously. “We just got caught in a massive lie, we both nearly lost our jobs, Hardman is back and is guaranteed to try and find out all our secrets and use them and our relationship against us and generally make life hell, and you’re saying all that was worth it?”

“For this?” Mike replies, waving a hand to indicate their naked bodies. “For getting us to admit that we belong to each other? Hell yeah.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://neptunepirate.tumblr.com/post/15897545542) gifset.

There are moments where he just can’t hold it in.

For the most part he is the master of concealed emotions, his poker face in place from the moment he steps into the foyer of Pearson Hardman until the second he leaves. And while he can admit that his no emotions bullshit is just that, bullshit lies he told to protect himself, the principal was one that served him well and helped him to his position of Senior Partner and best closer in the city.

But there are moments, tiny fragments in time, where the mask slips and the truth is revealed to anyone who cared to see it. Like when he would walk past the bullpen but stop dead in his tracks when he caught sight of Mike, working diligently on his case, biting his lip in concentration, looking like there was nowhere else in the world he belonged except for right here. He can’t help himself, taking that small step closer, smiling with pride and warmth and something else, unidentifiable but strong.

He watches for a few minutes, unable to tear his eyes away, doesn’t even blink. And then Mike, as though he can feel Harvey’s stare, looks up and catches Harvey’s eyes.

Harvey would feel embarrassed about being caught out or might start composing excuses in his head, but then Mike smiles at him from across the room, small but genuine. If there are other people in the room Harvey doesn’t know and he definitely doesn’t care, he just luxuriates in this moment for as long as he can. And when the noise and chaos of the room breaks through his reverie, Harvey nods at Mike, before turning and walking away.


	12. heartbeat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a thank you for the lovely starskeeper.

From the moment this thing between them started Mike has been waiting for it to end.

Not that he wants it to, of course. Because Harvey is the best fucking thing to have ever happened to him and he never wants to let even a piece of this go. But he is also a realist (okay, a pessimist, who are we kidding) and from the moment they got together he has been waiting for the other shoe to drop and for this to all be over.

He remembers it like it was yesterday. They had been in San Francisco for a case and who knows whether it was the exhaustion or the solitude or the alcohol but they were unwinding in Harvey’s room after a long day of negotiating and their gazes lingered just that little bit too long and all of a sudden they were pulling at each other’s clothes and kissing like their lives depended on it.

After that first night there were three days of touching and teasing and learning each other on a whole new level. Mike knows there must’ve been meetings and court appearances between all the fucking but he can barely remember it. All he remembers is the time they spent together behind locked doors, even if the whole time he knew it was going to be over as soon as their plane touched down in New York.

Only after their first day back at work they both happened to leave at the same time, and there was a moment in the privacy of the elevator carriage where Harvey’s fingertips trailed lightly over his hand and to this day Mike will swear that just for one moment his heart stopped beating. They went back to Harvey’s place and ended up fucking on the living room floor, not having the patience to wait until they got to the bed or the couch or any other more appropriate surface.

Even then, even when this unnamed thing still continued, Mike was bracing himself for the end. But it never came. Weeks passed and more often than not they would follow each other home, splitting their time fairly evenly between Brooklyn and the Upper West Side.

They don’t talk about it, don’t define or label what they are to each other. But Mike really wishes they would, wants to have that conversation so he knows where he stands. Because it’s been over a month now (thirty-seven days to be exact, not that he’s counting or anything, his brain is just hard-wired that way) and Mike can feel himself falling deeper every day and the idea that this thing between them has an expiration date hurts his heart.

“You’re going to leave me, aren’t you,” Mike says, not even a question but a statement of fact, as they lie together in his bed.

Harvey’s face quirks into an expression which Mike has seen too many times before, one he privately labels Harvey’s _oh what fresh hell is this_ look (yes he has named all of Harvey’s expressions, what of it?). And Mike doesn’t know if he’s on the receiving end of it now because Harvey doesn’t understand why he is bringing this up or if he is simply surprised by this breaking of their shared silence.

“What are you talking about?”

“This thing between us, whatever it is, it’s not going to last. One day you are going to decide that you don’t want this anymore and you’re going to leave, aren’t you?”

He has known Harvey too long to think he could ever commit to him. Because Harvey doesn’t do relationships and even if he did he would never commit to Mike and all the complications that that would entail. Because their relationship is already complicated enough without adding sex and feelings to it and Mike has been waiting for the day when Harvey turned to him and said _you know what, I like my life uncomplicated and we need to stop this_. And if that’s the case he needs Harvey to tell him now, in the privacy of Mike’s tiny apartment, so he can brace himself for the words and therefore won’t be caught off guard at an inopportune moment and act embarrassingly in response.

Harvey wraps his long fingers around Mike’s wrist and presses Mike’s hand flat to his chest, right over his heart. “Do you feel that?” Harvey asks softly.

Mike nods. “It’s your heartbeat,” he replies, and the _and it’s beating really fast_ goes unsaid.

“That’s how you make me feel.”

Mike can feel himself, for the first time, daring to hope. But even so, he can’t help but ask with a cheeky grin, “Are you sure it’s not just from the-“

Harvey cuts him off with a, “No, it’s not just from the sex,” and an exaggerated eye-roll, which is immediately thereafter softened by an indulgent smile. He presses his own hand on top of Mike’s, fingers sliding between his where they are splayed on his chest. “This is how you make me feel whenever I’m with you. I’m not going anywhere.”

Mike lets out a long breath of relief, smiling shyly at Harvey. And then Harvey kisses him, hard and desperate, just like their first kiss all those weeks ago, and Mike responds in kind. There are so many things he wants to tell Harvey. But there is time for declarations and conversations later. For now, his only focus is getting their hearts beating just that little bit faster.


	13. more than this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for littlegirltree (who prompted me with the lyrics: I wanna be your only man don't wanna see you with no other man now just me).

“What the fuck do you want from me?” Harvey yells.

Mike physically stumbles backwards, the words like a physical blow. How is it possible Harvey doesn’t get it? Harvey sees everything, he reads people for a living, and they have been dancing around this for months and arguing with each other for the better part of ten minutes and Mike can’t help but think that at this point Harvey is just being wilfully ignorant.

But he can’t go on like this, not anymore. This limbo they have found themselves in his killing him, and if he has to flat out tell Harvey, then so be it.

“I want you to acknowledge that you want more. I want you to tell me that you are in this as deep as me. I want you to admit that when you kiss me and fuck me that it means something.”

“And what if I can’t?” Harvey asks, his voice breaking halfway through.

Mike steels himself against those words, the resistance Harvey is attempting. “Then I’ll walk out that door and this thing between us will be officially done.”

Harvey looks slightly panicked at that. It gives Mike hope, even though the battle feels far from won. He steps closer and trails his hand down Harvey’s arm, lets their fingers twist together.

“What have you always told me?” Mike says with a small smile. “Don’t go to trial unless you can win. I wouldn’t be bringing this up if I didn’t think that you wanted it too. You just need to be honest enough to admit it.”

Harvey backs away, turns his back to Mike. The younger man lets him go, gives him the space, takes the opportunity to try and calm his thudding heart. His hands are shaking, so he shoves them in his pockets.

He knows his words sounded bold and certain. But that’s just because there is no way he can convince Harvey unless he seems sure himself. And he meant what he said, about wanting more. But the part about him walking out … he is fucking terrified that Harvey will call his bluff and send him away. And as much as he hates to admit it, despite how much he wants this thing between them to be exclusive and committed and real, when it comes to Harvey he will always take whatever Harvey offers.

“Look,” Mike says, “I’m not asking you to tell me you’re in love with me or that we will spend the rest of our lives together or anything like that. Just … tell me the truth. Do you want more than what we have now?”

Harvey has the grace to turn around and face Mike. He somehow manages to look deflated and hopeful all at once. His eyes shine brightly, locked into Mike’s so intently, like nothing on this earth could ever force him to look away.

“Yes.”

One word and that’s all it takes to change everything between them. Mike rushes forward, arms thrown around Harvey and his mouth pressed hard to his. Harvey’s hands are firm on his back, pushing them closer, fingers tangled in the fabric of his t-shirt. He kisses Mike back, desperate and wild, like a man who has been lost in a barren wasteland and has just spotted an oasis.

Mike doesn’t know what the future will hold. This could bomb spectacularly or it could be the best thing that ever happened to them. And as he and Harvey start divesting each other of their clothes all he knows for certain is that they need to try.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/30364929896/suits-comment-fic-more#notes) graphic.

The moment Harvey grins at him, Mike knows it’s all over.

Over the years he has seen a multitude of expressions on Harvey’s face. But never once has he seen anything like this. Harvey is open, malleable, grinning so big his face might break from the sheer rapture of it all. His eyes crinkle and his ears wiggle and he looks so fucking endearing and in this moment, Mike wants.

He wants this for Harvey, for him to feel completely relaxed in his presence, to know whatever Harvey could possibly say or do is okay with him. He wants Harvey to let the walls down, to sack the sentries who guard his inner self, to let Mike in. He wants Harvey to know that as much as Mike reveres his usual work self, stoic bastard that he can be, he likes him better this way, wants to see this more often.

But most of all he wants this, this smile and laugh, to be because he trusts Mike, wholeheartedly and without the aid of illegal stimulants. He wants him to look at Mike like this stone cold sober, wants him to mean it for real.

But he can’t speak those desires, could never confess these words or any of their derivatives. Because that’s not how they work. That’s not what they were meant for. As much as Mike wants all this, and more, so much more, he will never say the words out loud.

It’s too much. Harvey is too much, too important to him, the only solid and real thing he has left in his life. And he won’t risk that. As much as he is tempted, as much as he wants to breach the gap between them and kiss the grin right off his face, he wouldn’t risk what they have now, not for the wide world.

So instead, Mike just grins, smiles and laughs with Harvey like he always does, pressing the inescapable want to a small corner of his heart, locks it away there for safekeeping.


	15. date night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it.

“Hey, honey, I’m home,” Harvey calls as he enters the apartment.

Mike rolls his eyes at the sitcom cliché greeting, but he can’t help the small smile it elicits anyway. He looks up to see Harvey tugging off his suit jacket as he walks towards them. Emmett, who is sitting in Mike’s lap, starts squirming and reaching his arms up as soon as he sees Harvey.

Harvey leans down to kiss Mike before picking up the wriggling bundle, peppering kisses all over Emmett’s face, making him giggle. Harvey babbles nonsense to their son while Mike watches, grinning.

“You’re home early,” Mike says when Harvey sits down on the couch beside them.

Harvey holds Emmett so he can bounce up and down on his stubby legs, occupying him so Harvey and Mike can talk.

“I am,” Harvey says, and Mike can’t help but feel there is something significant about the way he says it. But instead of elaborating, Harvey asks, “How was your day?”

“Usual,” Mike shrugs. “Emmett is going to start crawling any day now.”

“He already crawls,” Harvey objects.

Mike laughs. “No, he slides around on his stomach like a commando. It gets him around but it doesn’t count.”

“It should,” Harvey declares, pulling a face at Emmett. Emmett smiles, so Harvey repeats the action. “Oh, by the way,” Harvey continues nonchalantly, “I got you something.”

Mike furrows his brow at this random statement. It’s not his birthday (that was a month ago) and it’s not their anniversary (that’s four months away) so he doesn’t know why, and Harvey just sits there playing with Emmett, doesn’t elaborate, so Mike doesn’t know what this something is.

“What for?” Mike asks.

“For our anniversary,” Harvey answers, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“But our anniversary isn’t for another four months. Remember, you decided you wanted us to get married on the same day as we got together so there wouldn’t be an extra date to remember.”

Harvey looks at him, his gaze heavy. “Of course I remember.”

“Then what-” But then Mike remembers. This isn’t the anniversary of the day they got together or the day they moved in together or the day Mike proposed or the day they got married. It’s, “The day we met. It’s the anniversary of the day we met,” Mike says, voice soft in wonder.

There is a knock at the door. Harvey leans over and kisses Mike, lingers for a few moments before he gets up, propping Emmett onto his hip as he crosses the apartment and telling Mike, “And this’ll be your present right now.”

Mike stands and follows, and when Harvey opens the door he sees Donna on the other side. She immediately takes Emmett from Harvey, kissing his round cheek. Mike looks to Harvey for an explanation. Because he loves Donna, don’t get him wrong, but he doesn’t get how an unexpected house guest (oh god, the apartment is a mess and so not fit for company) is a gift.

“Aunt Donna is on babysitting duties tonight so we can go out,” Harvey tells him.

“Seriously?” Mike asks Donna, his lips tugging into a smile. He can’t remember the last time he went out into civilised society. He loves Emmett to pieces, is grateful every day for him, but it would be nice to have an evening out with just him and Harvey. He misses having time just for them.

“Yup,” Donna says, moving into the condo. At which point Mike notices an overnight bag slung over her shoulder.

“Um, Harvey,” Mike says, tilting his head and taking a few steps away. Harvey follows him, out of earshot of Donna (not that she would notice anyway, what with being so busy talking to Emmett and asking about his day like she genuinely expects an answer). “What’s going on?”

“You and I are having a date night. I’ve booked us a table at your favourite restaurant and a suite at the Chilton.”

“We’ve never been away from Emmett for the night,” Mike says. It’s not that he doesn’t appreciate the gesture, because he really really does. But it’s a big step, and he wants Harvey to realise that.

“I know,” he says gently, cupping a hand around the back of Mike’s neck. “But you deserve this, we both do. He’ll be fine with Donna.”

Mike nods. “Okay.”

Harvey grins, and suddenly he is kissing Mike. Mike grasps at Harvey’s shirt, tangles his fingers in his tie as the kiss deepens.

“Okay you two,” Donna declares, and Harvey and Mike break apart, “save it for your hotel room. Now go pack, or you’ll be late for your dinner reservation.”

With a salute Harvey ushers Mike to their bedroom so they can quickly pack an overnight bag. Mike smiles as he works, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

“What is it?” Harvey asks, because of course he has noticed.

“Nothing, it’s just… Donna telling us to save it for the hotel. I can tell you right now, if you are picturing us having crazy, kinky sex all night long you’ve got another thing coming. I’m just looking forward to a night of uninterrupted sleep.”

“You say that like we can’t fit in some awesome sex between the dinner and the uninterrupted sleep.”

Mike smiles, looking at Harvey with unabashed love. “You always find a way to make everyone happy, don’t you?”

Harvey looks away, like he is shy under the truth of Mike’s words. He shrugs. “I try.”

Mike walks around the bed and wraps his arms around Harvey’s shoulders. Harvey’s hands settle on his hips, thumb slipping under his tee to get at the warm skin beneath.

“You succeed. And I love you for it,” Mike tells him before gently kissing him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://heartsuits.tumblr.com/post/31702141379) graphic.

“I quit.”

The words reverberate around the room, echo in the space between them. Harvey slowly looks up to face him. Mike feels dizzy and his heart feels like it is trying to force its way out of his chest and he just can’t do this anymore. He can’t breathe. He can’t think. He needs to get out and he needs to get out now.

“Goodbye, Harvey,” Mike says, and he stands and walks away, crosses Harvey’s apartment and almost has his hand on the doorknob when Harvey pulls him back, grips his arm tight and spins him back around.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?” Harvey demands, and there is something in his phrasing that is borderline amusing, like he is more offended that Mike quit verbally instead of via a two page essay than he is that Mike is quitting in the first place.

“You heard me,” Mike spits back. He suddenly feels angry. He doesn’t know why, but the anger is easier to deal with than all the other feelings he has for Harvey, so he grabs onto it. “I quit. I’m done. I’m gone.”

Mike tries to walk away but Harvey doesn’t let him go. “You think you can just walk out after everything we’ve been through?”

“Why do you care?” Mike asks. He is genuinely curious. Because, “You can get someone else to replace me. Someone who won’t complicate your life, who won’t put your career in jeopardy, someone who will respect the eighteen inches and won’t care that you can’t close the gap.”

“Okay, what the fuck are you talking about?” Harvey asks, and Mike realises too late what he has said. Harvey takes a small step closer, his voice gentle when he says, “Tell me what’s going on? What eighteen inches?”

Mike desperately doesn’t want to talk about this. He wants to get the hell out of here. He wants to run and never look back and never think about everything he wanted but could never have. But Harvey has him pinned under that heavy gaze and he is so fucking close and this right here is exactly why he can’t stay.

“Look at us, Harvey. I can feel your fingertips pressing into my skin through my suit. I can feel the warmth radiating from your body. I can see every strand of hair that makes up your stubble. But you don’t mean it. This is what we do; get so close even though we are so fucking far. I can reach out to touch you,” and to prove his point Mike does, reaching up and lightly tracing his fingertips over the aforementioned stubble, “but for all that you are miles away. I’ve closed the distance as much as I can but I can’t go the whole way. I need you to meet me part way. But you never will. And I can’t wait here forever.”

Mike drops his hand, steps back slowly, and Harvey releases his grip. Mike hates this, the desolate expression on Harvey’s face, the wretched feeling low in his stomach. He feels like walking out the door will destroy him, but he doesn’t know what else to do. Harvey can’t give him what he needs. And it’s too painful to stay without it.

“What eighteen inches?”

_Seriously??_ After everything Mike just said Harvey is still hung up on the eighteen inches. Mike sighs. After today he’ll never see Harvey again, so what does it matter. “The eighteen inches between your head and your heart.”

He expects Harvey to scoff or make fun or look at him like he is an idiot. He doesn’t expect Harvey to close the already small space between them, his face cradled gently in Harvey’s large hands, Harvey’s lips pressed to his in a gentle but insistent kiss. He kisses back, fingers lost in the fabric of Harvey’s shirt. But after a few blissful moments, Mike’s brain catches up and he pushes Harvey away, hard.

“What the fuck, Harvey?” Mike takes a few steps back, needs some space between them for once. He actually walks away from the front door, crosses the room in the other direction because he needs the space more than he needs to be near an exit. Harvey watches him go. The space feels like a physical entity between them. If they are in the same room they are never this far apart, hell, more often than not they are so close they breathe the same air. “Don’t play with me”

“I’m not.”

“Oh, but you really are. You don’t want this. You’ve made it abundantly clear that you don’t want me like that. If you are doing this just to stop me from quitting then you’ve sunk pretty low, even for you.”

“I’m not,” Harvey says, and he doesn’t sound offended, even though Mike regretted the sting of his words the moment he said it. If anything, Harvey sounds honest. Real. He sounds like the Harvey that Mike knows when no one else is watching. “I’m not doing this just to stop you from going. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want you to go, and if I can get you to stay I will. But that wasn’t what that was about.”

“I don’t understand,” Mike says, because he really doesn’t.

“Those eighteen inches. It’s a massive gap. But I want to cross it, for you. I’ve always wanted to cross it for you. But I didn’t think that I could, didn’t believe you’d welcome me if I did, so I got very good at pretending that the distance was something that I wanted. But it never was.”

And suddenly Harvey is there again. Mike didn’t even notice him slowly closing the gap as he spoke. His heart is pounding once more, but it feels different this time. It doesn’t feel like an oppressive force he would do anything to make stop. It feels like being set free.

“It wasn’t?” Mike asks, voice feeble, terrified that this is still some cruel joke.

Harvey shakes his head, and before Mike can speak he closes the gap between them to kiss him. And this time, Mike doesn’t push him away.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this one is a bit different. I put out a call for prompts for one paragraph fics. I'm going to put them all in the one chapter because they are so short (but I quite like most of them so wanted you guys to see them.)

prompt: haircut

He can’t stop thinking about it. Ever since Mike showed up to work with his new haircut, blonde hair shorn down to next to nothing, all he can think about is running his hands through the short hairs, feeling Mike’s scalp beneath his hands. But even the idea of it is ridiculous and so very inappropriate. So he keeps his hands to himself, even going so far as to shove them in his pockets whenever Mike is near. And he really should be chastising Mike for the military style buzzcut which is not really appropriate for the corporate world (and, lest he forget, he is still a reflection of Harvey) but the kid looks so damn good he can’t bring himself to do it. Instead he keeps his head down, buries himself in work. Only, at the end of the day, they both end up leaving at the same time. They stand in the confined space of the elevator and Mike is _right there_ and he just can’t help it, reaching over and running his fingertips along Mike’s short but surprisingly soft hair. And Mike smiles, wide and victorious, like that was the whole point.

 

prompt: royalty au/arranged marriage

Harvey asks everyone, politely but firmly, to leave and give him a few moments. The small group of assistants and PR reps and security staff file out of the room, fingertips gliding over phones and ipads as they go. Alone at last, he sucks in a deep breath. He can do this. It’s just a contract, a merger, the coming together of two separate entities, two halves joining together to create a new and strong whole. The fact that it is via an arranged marriage is inconsequential. He knew what he was getting himself into, and so did she. It’s business, not personal. This is what’s best for his country, his people. And that is all that matters. After a few minutes there is a knock on the door and Harvey looks up to see his personal assistant quietly shuffle into the room, eyes averted. Harvey feels his heart break. How is he supposed to do this? How is he supposed to go up there and declare feelings for someone he had none for, while Mike stood there and watched? How is he supposed to marry someone other than the person he loved? Mike closes the gap between them, reaching over and straightening the bowtie around Harvey’s neck. Harvey wants to reach out and touch him, kiss him, tell him he loves him, suggest running away to Buenos Aires or wherever the first flight will take them. And just as he goes to speak, Mike steps away and says, “They’re waiting for you, sire.”

 

prompt: burger

The burger was cold by the time Mike ate it. They had been at the office so late he could barely see, but they had finally found what they were looking for, so it was worth it in the end. As they left the building Mike mumbled about being torn between eating every piece of food he could get his hands on and sleeping for a week. Harvey smiled at him, and when Mike made it to the curb to hail a cab Harvey pulled on his elbow, saying, “Come on, Mike, let’s get some food,” and Mike went along no questions asked. Harvey said he knew a great burger joint, just around the corner from his place, only when they got there it was so late they had closed up. Stephan, the chef and owner, spotted Harvey, so did him a couple of burgers and fries to go. Mike took hold of their food as they continued to Harvey’s place, ready for a quiet night of food and chatting before heading home. But at some point during the walk to Harvey’s condo and the elevator ride up to his place and entering into Harvey’s home and setting themselves up on the couch ready to eat, Mike was suddenly overcome with a wave of affection for his boss, this man who liked to remind Mike on a daily basis that he didn’t care and yet still took him home to feed him after a long day. And with an adrenalin rush of bravado he didn’t know he possessed Mike closed the gap between them, kissing Harvey like he never wanted to kiss anyone ever again. Instead of pushing Mike away and telling him he was an idiot and way off base and he should get the hell out, Harvey responded in kind, groaning deeply and pulling Mike that much closer. Mike immediately started pulling at Harvey’s clothes, and despite repeated protestations that they should move this to the bedroom they ended up fucking right then and there on Harvey’s couch, the bright city lights glittering outside the nearby window. And hours later, when he was still resting in the cradle of Harvey’s hips, he reached over and grabbed the burger, holding it for Harvey to take a bite before he did the same. And it was the best burger he had ever tasted.

 

prompt: sports (takes place in _this life, this love_ verse)

For Emmett’s first birthday Harvey insists on buying him a baseball glove, even though Mike points out that he won’t be able to use it for years.  
“That’s not the point,” Harvey insists. “When he is older and playing little league and kicking ass he will be able to use the mitt we gave him for his birthday and say he’s had it for as long as he can remember.”  
Mike just smiles warmly at his husband. “And what if he decides he doesn’t want to play baseball? What if he wants to play soccer or hockey or tennis-“  
“Whoa, hold on, don’t even say that word around him,” Harvey says, cupping his hands over Emmett’s ears. Emmett twists his head around to look at Harvey, grinning, like the whole thing is a game. “No son of ours will ever play tennis.”  
“Hey, I like tennis,” Mike insists.  
"No you don’t.”  
“You’re right, I don’t” Mike laughs. “But what if Emmett does?”  
Harvey looks at Mike then, wondering how they went from discussing potential birthday presents to edging into discussing parenting techniques. “Then I will call in some favours and we’ll get Emmett lessons with Agassi.”  
“Agassi? Wow.”  
“Well, if he is going to waste his time on that god-awful sport then he will at least be trained by the best,” Harvey shrugs before changing the topic.  
And the next day he comes home from work having bought Emmett his first baseball mitt.

 

prompt: holding hands

Working for Harvey is easy. Well, maybe not easy, but he knows what to expect, and just as importantly, he knows what’s expected of him. Sleeping with Harvey is much the same. It’s all stolen moments under the cover of darkness and leaving as soon as it’s over and never saying a word to anyone. But it’s when the whole sleeping together thing is no longer enough and they both admit to their feelings that Mike has trouble. Because as much as he likes Harvey, and he really really does, he’s finding it difficult to imagine what a relationship with Harvey Specter looks like. He just can’t imagine them strolling hand in hand through the park or doing grocery shopping together or discussing whose place to spend the night at or spending the whole day in bed together like other couples do. And Harvey must sense that, or at lease sense that something is wrong, because he leans over and kisses Mike. “Come on,” he says, getting up and holding out a hand to Mike, which he takes so Harvey can pull him up too. “I think it’s time I took you on an actual date.” Mike doesn’t mention that it’s nine am and they are due in at work. He just smiles as they both dress and ready for the day. And as they walk down the street to wherever Harvey is taking them Mike feels Harvey take his hand in his. And suddenly Mike doesn’t care that he can’t envision how this will go. Being surprised is half the fun.

 

prompt: the breakup

Mike wakes feeling like he hasn’t slept at all. His eyes are dry, his throat sore. His entire body aches, and moving even just an inch feels like torture. It takes a minute to remember, for everything to slot into place. But remember he does. The screaming. The fighting. Mike throwing a glass across the room. The slam of the door behind him as he ran out. The anger overwhelming his body as he biked home. The crushing despair and utter loneliness as he sat in the silence of his apartment. And now in the cold light of day, all he can think is how much he wishes yesterday never happened. He doesn’t want to be apart from Harvey. Never has. From the moment they met all he has wanted is to be by his side. How is he supposed to go on now? He considers staying in bed all day but he knows he would just drive himself insane; he needs a distraction, something else to focus on other than the feeling currently lodged in the pit of his stomach, the well of regret and disbelief that churned the more he thought about it. He reaches over and grabs his cell, hoping against hope to see a missed call or text from Harvey. Nothing. He didn’t know why he expected it. This wasn’t a romantic comedy. It was real life, where people hurt each other and not everything went how you wanted it to go. He dresses on autopilot. Before leaving his apartment he takes a deep breath. The whole time he slowly walks down the stairs he tries to convince himself not to hope that Harvey is waiting on the steps of his building. He wants to not hope that he will walk through these doors into Harvey’s waiting arms. He tries not to envision their reunion, filled with tears and apologies and kisses that he can feel in the depths of his soul. But he can’t help it. He wants that, wants this to be better, wants them to not be over. Only, when he opens his building door, the street is empty.

 

prompt: Harvey and Mike with Neal Caffrey

When Harvey walks out of the building the first thing he sees is Mike. Mike, talking with someone Harvey has never seen before. Mike, _flirting_ with someone Harvey has never seen before. He keeps his distance and watches. This stranger doesn’t look like he can be real. He looks like he is part rat pack member, part runway model, part real life Disney prince. Harvey dislikes him instantly. Mike says something and this stranger laughs. And then Mike smiles at his friends’ laughter and it’s a vicious circle of smiling and laughing and flirting and Harvey wants to strangle someone. Instead he clenches his insides, steels himself against all the things he wants to do, and strides over to find out who this person is and who they are to Mike. Mike smiles when he sees Harvey approach, and he introduces them by way of a casual, “Harvey, this is my old friend, Neal Caffrey.” The stranger (Neal) holds out a hand which Harvey begrudgingly shakes. Neal looks between the two of them a few times and then grins, saying to Mike, “Okay, I get it now.” Harvey, completely confused, looks to Mike, and … is Mike actually blushing? “I should leave you two to it,” Neal says, producing a fedora from god knows where and flipping it onto his head. “See you soon, Mike. Harvey, good to meet you.” And how Neal can make a phrase as innocuous as _good to meet you_ sound so significant Harvey doesn’t know. He looks at Mike, and Mike just smiles at him and says, “So, what are we working on today?”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://queenoffreakingeverything.tumblr.com/post/28656798183/if-he-is-perfectly-honest-harvey-doesnt-really) gifset.

“Do you love Harvey Specter?”

Mike looks up and meets Louis’s gaze, and suddenly everything falls into place. This is why Louis called him to the stand. Because he suspects that he and Harvey don’t have the appropriate boss/subordinate relationship. Because if that is the case, if they have been lying to everyone about that, then who is to say that Harvey hasn’t lied about other things…

Mike can feel the eyes of the whole room on him. It’s silent. Mike knows he should have responded by now, that his silence is heavy with implications. He briefly flicks his gaze to Harvey, and for once he can’t read Harvey’s expression. He doesn’t know what to say.

Louis strides forward. “Mike, I asked you a question. Do you love Harvey Specter?”

Mike takes a deep breath. “It’s complicated.”

He immediately knows it’s the wrong thing to say. Louis smirks, like all his Christmases have come at once. He looks giddily around the room, like he has already won. But then he stares Mike down, all mirth gone. “ _Simplify_ it. Yes or no. Do you love Harvey?”

But Mike can’t speak. He stares at Harvey across the room, and for all the people watching him, for every single pair of eyes focused on him, all he cares about is Harvey. The older man looks concerned, but there is also something almost like intrigue on his face. Why isn’t Harvey objecting? Why isn’t Jessica?

“Because I think,” Louis continues when it becomes obvious Mike isn’t going to reply, “that you and Harvey have been secretly involved for a while now. Isn’t that right?”

“No,” Mike objects.

“Really? Then explain all the flirting. Explain why you bring each other food and drinks and spiel movie quotes to each other every day. Explain why Harvey doesn’t like you working for anyone else but him. Explain why he lets you break rules that he would fire anyone else for breaking.”

Louis has gotten louder and more worked up with each sentence, striding forward until he is leaning over Mike. It’s such a cliché courtroom tactic, and though Mike recognises that he also realises why it’s such a staple. Because it fucking works. He feels flustered, exposed, like every private thing he and Harvey have is on display. Not only that, that they have been put on display to be mocked and ridiculed.

“I - I can’t -” Mike stumbles.

Louis goes in for the attack. “Do you love Harvey Specter?”

“I don’t know!!” Mike cries. Louis steps back, shoulders slumped, annoyed that he couldn’t get a positive confession from Mike. “I don’t know how I feel about Harvey, okay. He is my boss and my friend and he saved me in more ways than I can count. I feel a lot for him, maybe more than I should, but that has nothing to do with this. Harvey and I aren’t having a secret relationship. Harvey has never lied about that, and he isn’t lying about this either.”

The rush of his words echo in his ears. Fuck. Did he really just say that? Did he really just confess to having feelings for Harvey? He sucks in a deep breath, his chest suddenly feeling compressed, heart thudding against his ribs in an attempt to escape. Mike doesn’t blame it. He wants out of here too. But he can’t move. Louis is pacing in front of him, obviously letting the statement roll around in his head for a few moments. He is clearly pissed about not getting the answer he wanted. But then his face lights up.

“So, Harvey hasn’t lied about you two being in a secret relationship, and he isn’t lying about burying evidence. So tell me, Mike. What has Harvey lied about?”

_Fuck_. Dread floods Mike’s stomach. He can’t admit to their shared secret, but he doesn’t want to perjure himself either. He might not be with Harvey, but he still knows him, and lying under oath (even if it’s a mock oath) is not something Harvey would condone.

Thankfully he is saved by Jessica finally doing her damn job, objecting about relevance and stating that Mike wasn’t even working here when the evidence was allegedly buried and the whole time she makes her objections to Daniel Mike just looks at Harvey. He feels raw, and doesn’t know what to expect from Harvey’s expression. And what he sees there makes his whole body still. Harvey looks pleased, proud. His lips quirk ever so slightly, a smile threatening to break free. Mike wants to talk to Harvey, away from the watching world, get them alone and find out why Mike confessing his feelings and almost giving away their secret has made Harvey so happy.

And once this day is over, he has every intention of doing just that.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://goodboycaps.tumblr.com/post/32691322494) picture.

Mike hangs over the arm of the sofa, pushes his body as far back as he can without feeling like he will fall off. He feels an initial head rush but beyond that there are no ill effects – and let’s face it, the pot has made him pretty lightheaded already anyway. He scans the part of the apartment he can see. Harvey by the window looking out onto the street below. His kitchen, table and chairs, the panda print on the wall.

“Wow, everything looks soooo weird upside down.”

Mike realises that he has spoken the thought aloud when Harvey turns and laughs. The older man wanders towards him, crouches down mere inches from Mike, his hands reaching out to the base of the couch to steady himself when he wavers slightly.

“Aren’t you dizzy?” Harvey asks.

“Nope.”

Harvey smiles, begins slowly rolling his head from side to side, the movement taking up most of Mike’s vision.

“Ass,” Mike murmurs, the word softened by his smile.

Harvey full on grins at him as he begins waving his whole body, left to right to left to right. Mike lets him get away with it for a while but when he can’t take the motion anymore he reaches over and places a hand on the other side of Harvey’s face, stills him.

Thankfully Harvey stops moving, but Mike can’t seem to let go. He expected Harvey to pull out of his touch but he hasn’t. He’s just kneeling there, eye’s locked on Mike’s, a smile lighting his face.

Mike doesn’t think, just brings Harvey’s face closer and kisses him. Their lips press gently together for a moment, slow and tentative. But then as though an imaginary switch has been flicked they simultaneously deepen the kiss, tongues meeting in a frenzied embrace that makes Mike moan.

Harvey pulls away quickly, standing up and out of Mike’s kiss. Mike feels bereft by the loss of contact. He looks up at Harvey and confesses, “I’ve always wanted to try the Spiderman upside down kiss.”

“And?” Harvey asks.

Mike sits up straight again, feels dizzy from the rush of blood throughout his body. He puts a hand to the back of his neck and rubs at the aching muscles as he ponders Harvey’s question.

“It was weird,” he eventually says.

Harvey walks around the back of the couch, saying, “Probably because you were kissing your male boss while both parties were stoned,” before collapsing onto the other end of the couch.

“Nope, pretty sure it was just the upside down thing,” Mike declares matter of factly.

Harvey smiles softly, but he isn’t looking at Mike, instead staring thoughtfully at the floor in front of him. Mike can’t tell what’s going on in that mind of his, doesn’t know what he is thinking, what he wants or how he feels. And even though Mike can’t read Harvey he does know how he feels and what he wants. And that is Harvey.

“Well,” Mike says, getting up onto his knees and shifting closer, throwing a leg over Harvey to straddle his lap. “I suppose there is only one way to know for sure.”

He gently cradles Harvey’s face in his hands, a recreation of their previous position (except obviously for the upside down part). He lets his thumb brush over the arch of Harvey’s cheek.

“Mike-” Harvey whispers, but he can’t seem to say any more than that.

Mike smiles reassuringly at Harvey before leaning over and kissing him. There is no tentativeness this time. They kiss deeply, all tongues and teeth, exploring eagerly. Harvey grips Mike’s hips tightly. Mike presses his whole body closer and Harvey sinks deeper into the couch. Mike loses himself in the embrace. They kiss for what feels like hours, the whole world existing only in the places where their skin meets.

The frenzy finally stops, deep kisses turning into small pecks so they can regain their breath without actually stopping. Mike keeps his forehead pressed to Harvey’s as he grins and says, “ _Definitely_ just the upside down thing.”


	20. two equal pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for an anon who wanted a fic of Harvey and Mike spending the day in bed together, being cute and romantic.

Mike would like to pretend that he hasn’t thought about this before, that he hasn’t spent countless hours imagining the _wheres_ and _whys_ and _hows_ of his and Harvey’s first time together. But think about it he has. He has imagined a dozen different scenarios, different circumstances that all lead to the same inevitable conclusion.

He had pictured a late night in Harvey’s office, the stress from a case and their mutual lack of sleep bringing about a lowering of walls and inhibitions. Maybe their hands lingered when handing files to each other or maybe they argued over a case point and one stopped the other with their mouths pressed together. He imagined them lying on the couch together with their hands down each other’s pants, or him on his knees between Harvey’s spread legs beneath his desk, or pressed to the cool glass windows which contrasted to Harvey’s warm body at his back as they fucked in earnest.

There were fantasies of the file room, door locked and their mouths closed to try and stifle the sound to everyone on the outside. There were dreams of Harvey’s condo, the soft light and their slick bodies combining into a thing of beauty. There were visions of the back of the town car, half dressed and hurried, Mike’s mouth pressed to his throat as their hips rolled in perfect rhythm.

So yeah, Mike has thought about this. A lot. But never once did he imagine anything like what actually ended up happening.

In the end, it was so simple. Harvey had met with a potential client in a restaurant a few blocks from Mike’s place, so on a whim called Mike up to see if he was home. Mike was, and he invited Harvey over, and they ended up lounging on the couch watching the game, bare feet on the table, a half empty packet of Doritos in the space between them, beers half-drunk with condensation running down the outside of the bottle. It was completely relaxed and easy, like it was the most normal thing in the world, something they had done a hundred times before (even though it was actually the first).

Given how much Mike had thought about it before, he should have been prepared, should have expected what happened next. But all his fantasises were just that. Fantasies. Flights of fancy. Daydreams borne from feeling too much and having no other outlet for them. He never actually anticipated it happening in real life. But then Harvey said something which bordered between really endearing and really stupid and Mike just grinned at him, adoring, and Harvey leaned over and kissed him.

Mike froze, completely immobile, couldn’t think, could barely breathe. Harvey, as any sane man would, took his frozen appearance as rejection and revulsion, so he pulled back, murmured an apology, stood up and made to leave. It was at this point Mike finally came back to the present, and he was up on his feet and crossing the room, arms thrown around Harvey’s shoulders as he kissed him deeply. Harvey returned the embrace with equal ardour, and as one they slowly shuffled back to Mike’s bedroom without breaking their grip on each other.

In all of Mike’s imaginings, there were two constants. One, it was never at his place. He couldn’t imagine Harvey naked in his sheets, the idea of the king of Manhattan slumming it in a tiny Brooklyn apartment too absurd even for him. Two, when it was over, it was done, Harvey quickly extracting himself before dressing and leaving (or kicking Mike out if it was at his place).

So of course reality blew both ideas out of the water. Harvey looked amazing in Mike’s bed, tanned skin contrasting to the white sheets, his moans echoing in the small space until they became a warm cocoon around them, Harvey kissing Mike and pressing him into the bed and foraging around in the bedside table for all the necessary paraphernalia like they actually belonged to him and not Mike. And then he stayed, settled in beside Mike, head on the other pillow and his face mere inches away and Mike leaned over and kissed him, just because he could.

And now, in the dawn of a new day, Mike wakes to discover that Harvey is still there. His hair is messy and his face relaxed as he sleeps, and Mike feels his heart burst and break at the sight before him, two equal pieces in his chest, one for him and one forever belonging to Harvey.

The older man eventually stirs, and instead of bolting upright in shock and regret and running out the door (which Mike genuinely fears is a possibility), his eyelids open slowly, a smile slowly spreading over his lips as he focuses on Mike, and then a simple and raspy, “Good morning.”

Mike gingerly reaches over and rests a hand on his arm. “Morning.”

Harvey closes his eyes again, but he shifts closer, legs twining with Mike’s, hand reaching over to run through Mike’s hair before settling on the side of his neck. “Any plans for today?” Harvey asks softly.

Mike thinks about all the errands he was going to do today, the cleaning and shopping and bill paying that always seems to take up his rare free Sundays. But fuck that. No way is he doing anything other than this: being with Harvey. “Nope.”

“Good,” Harvey murmurs.

Mike wonders at what nefarious plans Harvey’s brain is coming up with, fears he is about to be sent to work or something equally annoying, but instead Harvey kisses him, tongue probing into his mouth as he presses their bodies together, rolls them so he lies atop Mike, and all thoughts fly from Mike’s brain.

Harvey’s hands are warm as they run over his body, Mike arching up into every touch. Mike has never wanted anyone like this, so completely, so earnestly. He’s tries not to over romanticize but he just can’t help it. Harvey’s mouth follows the path his hands have set and he wants every day to start and end like this. He wants to feel Harvey everywhere, is desperate to be closer. He can’t wait, rolling them back so he straddles Harvey’s body, and before he can think or Harvey can protest he eases back, pushes down, both of them sighing at the contact, and this is it, this is how he wants to live, with everything focused on the way they belong together.

Mike can see Harvey about to say something, an admonishment no doubt, and Mike cuts him off with an, “I’m safe, and I trust you,” before he leans down and kisses him, moving his body with increasing pace, and Harvey just grips tighter and Mike knows they’ll be talking about this later but for now it’s enough.

When it’s over, and when Mike has regained enough breath in his lungs and his legs don’t feel like jelly, he slips from the bed and pads across the apartment, returning to the bed with some water for them both. Mike could use some food, but that would involve getting out of this bed and getting dressed and going outside, so fuck that for an idea. He just lies with Harvey, and they talk.

About nothing really, nothing of importance anyway. They know each other pretty fucking well, but they tell each other all the things the other doesn’t know, those personal anecdotes not suitable for the office. They confess about first loves and broken hearts, they reminisce about childhoods that are worlds apart and yet they find common ground in that sense that they both had, that loneliness that seemed to permeate every day, their shared yearning for more.

They live a life together that day, all within the confines of Mike’s double bed, with dirty sheets and crappy food. They talk and fuck and talk some more. They can’t stop touching each other, Mike with his head in Harvey’s lap or Harvey’s hand resting flat on Mike’s stomach, thumb idling lightly back and forth over his skin. The sun rises and falls outside the bedroom window, and when it’s dark Harvey finally talks about leaving.

Mike’s heart beats hard in his chest, feeling suddenly sad. He knows it’s childish, but he wanted this day to last forever, and tomorrow means going back to work and though he knows that this thing between them isn’t over, he also knows that he doesn’t want the real world to taint what they have found together.

“Would it be lame if I said I didn’t want you to go?” Mike asks softly, sitting in the centre of the bed and watching Harvey dress in yesterday’s clothes.

Harvey smiles warmly at hm. “Of course not. But I gotta go. Can’t go to work tomorrow in my crumpled and ruined clothes.”

Mike nods, looks away. It’s only right. Harvey has nothing here he could wear to work tomorrow, and arriving in one of Mike’s narrow suits and skinny ties would be tantamount to walking in and saying _guess who I spent the weekend fucking…_

Bu then Harvey slinks down onto the bed, kisses Mike’s mouth slowly, lingers until Mike returns the embrace. “You could always bring a suit and come back to my place.”

Mike’s grin is the only answer worth giving.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://machtaholic.tumblr.com/post/34437774604/omg-i-love-this-shot) pic of Gabriel Macht.

Harvey stepped out of the dressing room, buttoning his suit jacket. He moved to the pedestal, where Rene immediately met him and started assessing and pinning as he saw fit.

Harvey just looked at his reflection as Rene worked. He stared for so long he didn’t even look like himself anymore, his vision blurring and distorting. After a few minutes he put a hand over his face to cover his laughter.

“I can’t believe you convinced me to try on a double breasted suit,” Harvey said, when the initial embarrassment and amusement has worn off. “I’m not a banker from the 1980’s.”

Rene tutted gently. “Come along now, Harvey. You’ve always trusted me before. Believe me when I tell you, they are making a comeback, and not everyone can pull it off the way you can.”

Harvey returned his attention to his image in the mirror, tried to look at himself objectively. He genuinely couldn’t tell if the suit worked or not. It was not at all his usual style: the double breast, the short length, the grey colour, the patterned shirt…

The bell on the front door jingled as it was opened, and Harvey turned to see Mike rushing in.

“Harvey, I’m so sorry I’m la-“

Mike stopped mid word as he finally took in the sight before him. He just stood there, staring at Harvey, jaw slightly slack. Harvey saw him swallow thickly, watched him attempt to speak on two separate occasions but was unable to form the words each time.

Harvey finally turned away from the speechless Mike, looked at himself in the mirror, and when Rene caught his gaze Harvey smiled and said, “I’ll take it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it for now, the last of all the previously posted fics from my tumblr. Anything new I write will be added later. :O)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this graphic](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/36320991545/wedding-suits).

At the sound of the door opening Mike looks up from his position on the couch to be greeted with the sight of Harvey walking through the front door, a thick black garment bag thrown over one shoulder. Mike puts his book aside, looks enquiringly at the older man. Harvey grins, crossing the room to lean down and kiss him in greeting.

"You were gone early this morning," Mike says.

"Had to go pick up my delivery from Rene," Harvey replies, shifting the bag from his shoulder to over his forearm.

Mike looks at the obviously very full bag, confused. He knows Harvey loves his suits, but he also knows he had updated his wardrobe a mere two months ago. Buying another bunch of suits so soon seems excessive, even for Harvey. And then there is the way Harvey is grinning at him, knowing and mischievous, that definitely set the alarm bells off.

"Okay, tell me," Mike says, when it looks like Harvey is about to burst with excitement.

"They are suit options for the wedding. Come on, I’m going to try them all on and we can decide. Have a little mini fashion parade."

"That may be the gayest thing you’ve ever said to me," Mike deadpans.

Harvey’s grins, wriggling his eyebrows. “Even gayer than last night when I told you I wanted-“

"Yes, Harvey, even gayer than that," Mike laughs.

Harvey joins in, grabbing Mike’s hand and pulling him up from the couch. “Come on, you know you love watching me get dressed and undressed.”

"Yeah, but in completely different circumstances," Mike mutters, but he lets Harvey pull him into their bedroom regardless.

Mike sits on the bed while Harvey walks into their walk-in closet. It’s practically a room unto itself, and he disappears around the corner, leaving Mike alone with nothing but the soft sounds of Harvey’s rustling clothes as company.

Mike had been genuinely and happily surprised by the gusto with which Harvey threw himself into their wedding plans. Mike never would have guessed when they met three years ago but Harvey had quite the romantic streak, he just kept it well hidden under layers of practicality and cynicism. But Mike has spent a lot of time slowly but surely sneaking past every guard, fighting against every wall, and he is in now, never to return, gets to see the real Harvey that no one else does. And he feels honored and proud and genuinely ecstatic, loves him with every fiber of his being, and that is reward enough.

They are getting married in upstate New York at the house Harvey bought about five years ago. The first time Harvey took him there he had felt immediately at home. It’s beautiful, all wood and glass, and every window shows a different vista, whether it is plains of green grass, the blue of the lake next to the house, the yellows and oranges and browns of the nearby forest. It has become their home away from home, and when Harvey suggested it Mike couldn’t help but immediately agree, thinking now that he couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else.

The wedding is in four months. For the most part everything had been organized; invites have been sent and the celebrant booked and a caterer retained. It is going to be small and intimate, just a few friends and family, a quick ceremony and then dinner to celebrate. And Mike can’t wait.

Harvey’s emergence from the walk-in pulls him from his thoughts. Truth be told he had been expecting a suit much like the ones Harvey wears every day, but this is nothing like that. It is more casual for one, and it’s colorful and textured and much more interesting. Mike’s jaw drops slightly.

"What do you think?" Harvey asks.

Mike lets his eyes roam over Harvey’s body. The suit is brown in color, single breasted, paired with a blue (no, _teal_ ) shirt. Mike can’t make sense of the sight before him. He attempts to speak several times but can’t find the words.

"Are you actually speechless?" Harvey asks, amused.

"No," Mike protests, a little too vehemently, completely giving himself away.

Harvey chuckles, but doesn’t tease him like he so obviously wants. Instead he holds his arms wide and asks, “Well?”

Mike manages to get past the initial shock and assess him a bit more objectively. “I love the shirt, but the brown suit doesn’t work for me.”

Harvey nods. “Fair enough.” And he walks back into the closet to change into the next outfit.

Mike feels so surprised by the first suit that any expectations about the other options Harvey had were now completely blown to pieces. His stomach tightens slightly in anticipation as he awaits the next suit.

Harvey emerges in something a bit closer to what Mike initially imagined. It is a blue three piece suit, simple, well cut. But the shirt isn’t the standard plain white, instead there is a subtle check pattern made up of blue and brown lines. Mike likes it, but doesn’t love it, so says, “Put it in the maybe pile.”

Next is a dark grey suit with a subtle micro-dotted pattern, creating a modern pinstripe. The jacket is double breasted and paired with a two tone blue shirt. Mike is proud to say he realizes after a mere ten seconds that his jaw has gone slack from where he openly gapes at his fiancé. Harvey grins and says, “I take it you approve,” to which Mike nods enthusiastically.

Next is another blue suit, dark wool material paired with a lighter blue plaid cotton shirt and, “Holy shit, are those suede shoes?” Mike exclaims.

"Well, there is no point picking out a suit without matching footwear."

Mike still doesn’t care about his suits at one tenth of the level Harvey does, but after tonight, he is willing to reconsider his whole stance on fashion. And when Harvey comes out in his next suit (dark grey wool jacket with a narrow lapel, vest, slate grey check shirt and bright red silk tie) Mike has to ask, “Why do you never wear suits like this to the office?”

"Because they are not corporate suits."

"Maybe not but you look ten times hotter in these than your other ones."

"Because that’s exactly what I’m going for as Senior Partner in one of the most powerful law firms in the city."

"It couldn’t hurt," Mike smirks up at him, earning him a smile in return. He looks Harvey up and down. "I love it. Definitely my favorite so far."

"Well, I have one more left. Should we look at it or call it a day?"

Mike shrugs. He can’t imagine anything topping this one but, “We’ve come this far, might as well show it to me.”

Harvey dutifully changes into the next suit, and when he re-enters the room Mike’s mouth goes dry, his thoughts scatter to the wind. He’s never seen Harvey in anything like this, and he doesn’t care if the older man gives him shit for it, he is definitely speechless.

Even if he had the capacity for speech he still wouldn’t be able to tell you what it is about this particular suit that affects him so. It is light grey in color, with a subtle plaid pattern underneath, the material a thick wool (perfect for their early winter wedding). The jacket is double breasted and looks to be an inch or so shorter than Harvey normally wears them. The suit is paired with a patterned shirt, white and light blue with the occasional dark blue highlight, and a dark tie grey tie with a spotty pattern on it. There is no single feature about the suit he could name as his favorite, and the whole thing combined leaves him gaping, stunned, completely in love.

He gets up off the bed, stalking towards Harvey with a determined will, reaching out and grasping his face, kissing him deeply. Harvey chuckles but returns the embrace, hands firm on Mike’s side. Mike’s fingertips trace the suit, so soft beneath his touch, and as much as he loves this suit on Harvey’s frame right now he is desperate to get it off.

He just hopes he doesn’t destroy it in his haste. After all, they need it in pristine condition in four months time.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this graphic](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/36564031059/mikes-suits), and written as a companion piece to the previous chapter fic.

After spending a couple of hours with Rene trying on everything either of them liked Mike has it narrowed down to four options. He really could just choose the one he liked best but after Harvey made him a part of the process of choosing his suit (he involuntarily bites his lower lip at the memory of Harvey in that suit) he figures getting his input is the least he could do.

So he calls Donna to make sure Harvey has nothing booked in for the rest of the day and when she confirms he is just doing paperwork he texts him with a simple: _meet me at Rene’s :)_

Mike chats amiably with Rene while he waits (they’ve managed to move past the disaster that was the first time Mike came into his shop and have developed a genial relationship). Twenty minutes later Harvey walks through the door, and Mike immediately brightens, crossing the showroom and kissing him hello.

"Am I here for the reason I think I am?" Harvey asks.

"Depends. Do you think you’re here to help me choose an outfit for the wedding?"

"Yes."

"Then yes," Mike smiles. "I have it narrowed down to four options," he continues, taking Harvey’s hand and leading him to the back of the store to the change rooms.

"Are you sure it’s a good idea that we do this here?" Harvey asks, looking significantly at Mike. He grins in return, remembering the afternoon a fortnight previous when Harvey came home to try on suit options and how he had nearly destroyed the suit they had chosen in his haste to get it off.

"Are you saying I’m irresistible?" Mike grins, a challenge if ever Harvey heard one.

Harvey’s patented glare is his only answer, and Mike just laughs before slipping into the change room and closing the door behind him.

Harvey glances around to find Rene, maybe have a quick chat while he waits, but finds that they have been left alone. Rene always was the master of discretion.

Mike emerges in his first outfit and Harvey feels his heartbeat quicken. He looks amazing. Harvey has never seen Mike in anything like it before. His pants are a dark maroon, he wears a black sweater over a patterned shirt, and the whole outfit is topped off with a long, dark grey cardigan jacket.

When Harvey is finally able to get his thoughts in order he says, “Okay, first of all, I know it’s going to be a small and casual ceremony but it’s not _that_ casual. And second of all, you are buying that outfit anyway.”

Mike grins but refrains from gloating, stepping back into the dressing room. Next is a glossy dark grey suit paired with a matte dark grey shirt of a slightly different tone. The cut and lapels are still a bit too narrow for Harvey’s taste but after three years he’s learned to live with them.

"No tie?" Harvey asks, looking at the unbuttoned collar.

"No tie."

After a beat Harvey presses, “Can we add a tie?”

"Can it be a skinny one?" Mike returns with a grin.

Harvey rolls his eyes but assents with a nod. Mike quickly ducks back into the dressing room and re-emerges with a skinny silver tie. He puts it on and Harvey smiles. “I like it. Definitely a front runner.”

Next is the most simple and plain suit so far, a light and neutral shirt (Harvey can’t tell in this light if it’s a light blue, grey or something else entirely) paired with simple black pants and a white tie with small black polka dots. Harvey considers it for about three seconds before saying, “Nice, but no.”

Mike can’t help but chuckle at his directness. He returns to the change room, grinning. He takes his time changing into the next outfit. He has left his favorite for last and he can’t wait for Harvey’s reaction. He wants to drag the moment out, likes the idea of Harvey nervously waiting on the other side of the threshold as the anticipation builds. He slowly dresses (so many layers) and even when he is dressed he waits another minute to build the anticipation to fever pitch.

Only when he eventually exits the room Harvey isn’t even there. Clearly he had gotten bored waiting so was browsing the nearest rack of suits. He has picked up a jacket and is examining the lining. Mike says his name and Harvey looks up, and when he sees Mike the jacket slips from his fingers and falls to the floor.

Mike bursts out laughing while Harvey hastily scrambles to pick up the jacket and put it back on the rack. Task complete he inches forward to examine Mike. He is wearing a three piece suit, the material dark with a subtle plaid pattern on the jacket and vest only, a black and white check shirt, and a tie that looks remarkably similar to the one Harvey will wear for the ceremony. The look on Harvey’s face as he takes everything in stops Mike’s laughter.

"You look amazing," Harvey says with such sincerity it makes Mike’s heart burst.

Mike smiles and manages a soft, “Thanks, baby.”

Harvey narrows his forehead, looking intently at the suit. “Is that Tom Ford?”

Mike’s eyes positively sparkle, so proud to have found a suit by Harvey’s favorite designer to wear on their wedding day. And he nods, like the wide eyes and massive grin weren’t enough of an answer.

Harvey reaches out a hand, slips it between the jacket and vest, fingers gripping the material at his hip. “I thought you hated vests.”

"I don’t hate vests. They frustrate me because they are one extra layer I have to get through when I am desperate to get you naked as soon as humanly possible. But I’ve always appreciated the way they look on you. And since you aren’t wearing one I thought I should. It’s like having something of you I can carry around with me all day."

Harvey’s face shows nothing but unabashed love. He slowly leans forward, presses his mouth to Mike’s in a gentle kiss. “If this is what you wear for the first day of the rest of our lives then I will be a very lucky man.”

Mike kisses him again, murmurs, “I’m the lucky one,” against his lips before deepening the kiss.

Harvey starts pushing forwards, making Mike back up into the change room. Mike grins against his lips and even though he says, “Harvey, we can’t,” he still let’s himself be pushed into the room, doesn’t actually protest beyond that.

"Yes, we can," he replies, hands already on the vest buttons.

Mike groans, surrenders, and his last coherent thought is that they need to give Rene a _really_ expensive Christmas gift this year.


	24. 11.58pm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for an anon who wanted a fic about Harvey and Mike's anniversary.

Mike’s vision is starting to blur. He has been going through dozens of boxes of paperwork (contracts, court transcripts, product analysis, meetings minutes, emails and letters, and that’s just the first three boxes) for what feels like days. The white walls of the file room are starting to close in on him, and, with the mental capacity of someone who has been in the one room for too long and is reaching mental exhaustion, he thinks about bringing in some paint to brighten the room up. Because if he is going to be stuck here for the next two days (a solid possibility) then something needs to be done.

It’s been nearly three years since he started at Pearson Hardman, and he is more than used to the feeling that comes with a looming and immovable deadline. It’s an interesting aspect of their work, that everything is finite, that things need to be done by a certain time otherwise you should just not bother at all. And normally he likes that, the challenge, the thrill of having a ticking clock, the race against time to find that one thing, that little nugget of information that is the difference between an amazing win and an epic loss.

But then there is the flipside, the days on end spent reading the most boring text known to mankind. It’s part of the job, and not only that, it’s a part he excels at. And he is nothing but grateful for this job and this life, so while he may bitch to Harvey about slaving away over a pile of paperwork he will never actually not do it. But that doesn’t make it any less boring.

When he hears the sound of the door opening and closing he knows he has reached that time of night where he is so exhausted he starts hearing phantom noises. But then Harvey comes into view, and despite everything, he can’t help but look up at him and smile.

"Hey," Mike murmurs happily. "What are you doing here?"

"Just thought I should check if you were still alive down here," Harvey says, eyes roaming over all the stacks of paperwork Mike is currently drowning in.

"Nope, sorry, too late, I didn’t make it. All this paperwork has officially killed me."

Harvey grins, then steps forward, picking up Mike’s hand and pressing his fingers to his wrist. “Yup, you’re right, no pulse here. Guess I’ll have to find a new associate.”

Mike rolls his eyes at Harvey, the gesture completely softened by his lazy grin. He pulls his arm from Harvey’s grasp and rubs his hands on his face. “What time is it?”

"Nearly midnight."

Mike can believe he lost track of the whole day in this colourless, windowless, soul-sucking room. But that doesn’t explain why Harvey is here so late.

"What are you still doing here? I thought you would’ve left hours ago."

Harvey shrugs, a little too nonchalantly. “I was waiting for you.”

Mike smiles, and says, “That’s sweet, Harvey. You didn’t have to wait for me though. It’s late. Go home and get some rest.”

Harvey looks at him then, and something about his expression sets off the warning bells in his mind. The older man doesn’t look angry, maybe slightly disappointed, but mostly just incredulous. And then he laughs, leaning down and kissing Mike. “You’re lucky I love you for more than your mind, is all I’m saying.”

"What are you talking about?" Mike asks, genuinely bewildered.

"You honestly have no idea what today is?"

"Um, a Wednesday?" Mike suggests, already knowing it’s the wrong answer (well, not wrong, just imprecise for whatever this conversation is about).

Harvey laughs again, before looking at his watch. “For the next … two minutes, it’s our one year anniversary, you idiot,” Harvey tells him, his voice laced with nothing but fondness.

Mike wastes about ten seconds thinking _oh shit it totally is I can’t believe I forgot fuck I am such an idiot_ before he stands, kissing Harvey like his life depend on it. He can feel Harvey chuckling so he deepens the kiss, wraps an arm around his shoulders and presses their bodies closer. He pours every ounce of love he feels into that kiss, and Harvey grips onto him, fingers pressing into his hips through the thin material of his shirt, like he understands completely.

So for the most part their first anniversary kinda sucks. But the last two minutes are absolutely perfect.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: heated argument, for littlegirltree.

"Are we seriously fighting about this?" Harvey smirks, inching forward, only to have Mike back away from his outstretched hand.

"Fuck yes we are fighting about this, because you can’t just tell me that you’re in love with me and you have been for months and, fuck, don’t you get how crazy I am about you and how I’ve been _waiting_ for you for years and we’ve wasted so much time and-“

Harvey silences the younger man, mouths pressed together, the kiss rough and demanding, a non-verbal continuation of the fight they were having (and seriously, only Mike could turn a declaration of love into an argument), but soon enough Mike lets go and Harvey can practically feel him relaxing beneath his fingertips, and then it’s all desperate kisses and hands wandering and Mike murmuring _I love you, I love you, I love you_ at every available opportunity, and Harvey silently promises that when it comes to Mike, he’ll never waste a moment again.


	26. warm, bright spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday gift for the fabulous veritasst.

Mike’s skin is warm and smooth beneath his palm. Harvey runs his hand up and down the white plane of his back, traces fingertips over the small mole on the centre of his spine, touch feather light so as not to wake the sleeping man. The only sound in the room is Mike’s steady and rhythmic breathing: _in, out, in, out_. Harvey listens and touches and looks, his heart beating hard in his chest the whole time.

He’s in love with Mike.

He’s genuinely happy.

And he’s so fucking terrified.

Harvey never really knew what fear was before Mike. In his working life he has experienced stress and anxiety and anger and a whole range of negative emotions. But he was never afraid. Not really. He might be anxious about losing a case, but that emotion was tied to his client, not himself. He cannot recall a time he was genuinely scared.

Until now.

Because his romantic life thus far has been filled with beautiful and wonderful people – who he didn’t care about. At all. He wasn’t a callous asshole or anything, at least, not on purpose. But both parties were clear from the get-go: this was some fun that lasted however long it lasted and then it was over. Done and dusted. No hard feelings. All the best. Have a good life.

And even the very few times he wanted or tried for something real, a meaningful connection, it never worked out, either burned too bright and fast before sizzling out or never really began in the first place. Nothing has worked so far. He is very nearly forty years old and he has not had one proper, significant, _lasting_ romantic relationship in his whole life.

And he is terrified that this isn’t going to be any different, that this thing between them won’t last, and that’s not an option he even wants to entertain. Because this is _Mike_. There is no way this can’t be an all or nothing deal. But he can’t help the doubt that surfaces, that little voice saying that it won’t last because nothing ever has.

But then he remembers something Mike said months, maybe even years, ago. He can’t even remember the context, doesn’t have a mind for remembering every detail like Mike can, but he thinks they were talking about one of their clients. And now he can hear Mike’s voice in his mind as clearly as if he was saying the words out loud right now, his voice light and laughing as he says _every relationship ends – until you have one that doesn’t_ and Harvey feels his heart swell with love, so much of it, bursting and swimming in his veins and it’s all Mike.

He can’t help it, moving forward and pressing a soft kiss to the curve of Mike’s shoulder. The younger man doesn’t stir, not even when Harvey shifts closer, rests his head on the same pillow. Harvey thinks he hears a sigh of contentment, but wouldn’t be able to say who it came from.

But even so, he can’t sleep. This is still new enough to be surprising, to be _wondrous_ , and he doesn’t want to miss a minute, is still terrified that one day he will awake to an empty bed, that Mike will leave him like everyone else seems to.

The minutes tick by and Mike sleeps ever on, blissfully unaware of Harvey’s internal natterings. And thank fuck for that. Harvey refuses to imagine Mike’s reaction if he knew everything happening inside his head. Would he be amused by Harvey’s insecurity? Would he freak out by how hard Harvey has fallen, and so quickly? Would he respond with a grin and a kiss and whispered words of love, those three little words Harvey feels but doesn’t think he’s ready to hear from Mike yet anyway?

Harvey doesn’t want to know the answer anyway. Better to leave those thoughts safe within the boundaries of his own mind. Because the possibility of a favourable response isn’t worth the risk of opening himself up to the option of a negative one, and as previously discussed, Harvey is fucking scared enough as it is.

Because he can feel it, humming through his veins, sitting in his stomach, blooming from his chest until he can’t even breathe through the power of his affection for Mike, this young man who is everything he ever wants. And he has never been overly sentimental or cloying but he _swears_ he can feel his feelings for Mike like a physical presence, solid and overwhelming and so very real.

He’ll never be able to get to sleep at this rate. He surrenders to the fact, slipping back over to his side of the bed, resumes his earlier task, fingertips idling over Mike’s skin, everywhere, up his arm, through his hair, down his spine, over the swell of his ass, down the backs of his legs, swirling over a mole on the back of his knee before making his way back up to start all over again.

He can’t stop, refuses to break contact, even for a moment. He would liken the feeling to an addiction, but given their history with drugs (admittedly Mike more than him) he doesn’t think the analogy does anyone any favours. So he decides to not think about it, to just relax, to just breathe.

And then, because he can’t help it, he smiles lazily as his fingertips trace _i love you_ in large cursive writing across the span of Mike’s back, feels his skin spark as it glides along Mike’s, swears if he looks closely enough he can see his writing like a glowing tattoo covering the plane of Mike’s skin, a declaration there for now and evermore.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/43623534156/harvey-hands-him-the-document-as-soon-as-mike#notes) graphic.

Harvey hands him the document as soon as Mike walks into the office, placing the thick wad of papers into his hand with a significant but cloudy look before retreating to the windows without a word.

Mike looks at the papers, sees his and Harvey’s name on the front page, and his eyes automatically flick back up to Harvey. The older man is standing with his back to him, hands shoved deep into his pockets, and Mike knows better to ask. If Harvey had wanted to say something, he would’ve. No point asking anything now.

Mike slinks into the nearest chair and reads. He’s a lawyer, has been for nearly four years, has read literally millions of pages of legalese, can recite verbatim thousands of contracts and agreements. But none of that has prepared him for reading the pre-nup Harvey has drawn up for them.

He’s pissed at first, because they’ve never once talked about this. And really, they still aren’t, what with Harvey doing his best statue impersonation in the corner of his eye line. But once the initial shock wears off he can start to understand. Harvey is a millionaire who owns a penthouse apartment on the Upper West Side and a house in upstate New York and hangs several pieces of near priceless art on his home walls - and when they met Mike was basically as poor as you could be and still have a roof over your head. And they have both worked on too many cases of divorcing couples or dividing companies and they are both too smart (and jaded) to believe in happily ever after. Because sometimes, despite best efforts, life doesn’t go how you think it will.

So with a deep breath, Mike keeps reading. And reading. A smile creeps onto his face by the bottom of page two, he is chuckling by page three, and full on laughing out loud by page five.

"This is the worst pre-nup I have ever seen," Mike tells him, not even finishing it.

Harvey turns around, smiling that smile that still makes Mike’s heart leap, all crinkly eyes and bright teeth.

"I mean … I literally don’t even know where to begin…"

Because it isn’t that Harvey has left himself open to the occasional loophole to be exploited – it’s that the whole thing is _full_ of holes. Enough holes to sink a ship. More holes than swiss cheese. Just, holes, everywhere. And when it isn’t full of loopholes it is flat out ridiculous. There are clauses about taking a minimum of four weeks away from Pearson Hardman each year for overseas vacations and having date nights once a fortnight. There are clauses stating Mike needs to make the bed each morning and Harvey promising not to flirt with wait staff. There are clauses about breakfasts in bed and dishwashing responsibilities and sexual positions and housekeeping duties and tie widths and it’s just as ridiculous as it sounds.

(And buried in the middle of all that insanity it is explicitly stated that in the case of divorce, no matter what the reason or who is the instigator, no matter what, Mike will receive the sum of half Harvey’s possessions and wealth.)

"Only an idiot would get married without a pre-nup these days," Harvey tells him, still smirking, inching closer.

And Mike grins, not even caring that they are at work, standing up and closing the gap between them to lean over and kiss him, chaste but lingering. Because of course Harvey spent hours drawing up a ridiculous and frankly not even legally binding pre-nuptial contract just to tell Mike that he can’t ever imagine their marriage not working. And even if it didn’t, even if the worst happened, Mike would be taken care of not because he needed to be but because Harvey loved him so much that even then he would still want to.

So Mike pulls out a pen, leans down onto the glass table and signs the contract without actually reading the rest of it. Because it’s not real, not in the legal sense of the term. But it’s real in all the ways that matter. It’s a promise from Harvey, one that talks about a lifetime of love and happiness, and Mike knows that, just like all the others, this is a promise Harvey will keep.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/43877625227/mike-likes-to-think-he-knows-harvey-pretty-well-at#notes) gifset.

Mike likes to think he knows Harvey pretty well at this point. After all, they’ve known each other for three years and have been through so much in that time: Trevor trying to pull Mike down, Travis Tanner framing Harvey, Jessica finding out their secret, Grammy dying, Harvey attempting to fire Mike, Rachel finding out their secret, the merger with another firm, the slow repair of their working relationship (not to mention their personal friendship), Harvey’s latest (failed) attempt to get his name on the door, a client suing Mike for malpractice….

The list, when he thinks about it in those terms, is actually kinda horrifying. Laid out like that in simple words, Mike wonders how they even made it this far. How neither of them has tapped out. How they are not only still working together, but still enjoy it as much today as they did the first day they started working together.

Although, this latest event (the malpractice suit) is seriously making Mike question his choice to ever fight so hard for this life. He can feel everything slipping away, and it’s a feeling he has become all too familiar with. But that doesn’t stop it from being scary as hell.

He feels like he is drowning in paperwork and he can feel the walls of his apartment closing in on him (yes, he’s still in the same one, has tried to move out over the years but could never bite the bullet and actually leave) and he can’t breathe. He has to get out. It’s late, but when he leaves the building there is only one place he can think to go.

Actually, that’s probably imprecise. He could go to a bar or back to work or grab a late bite to eat or just wander the streets. But when he leaves the building there is only one place he _wants_ to go.

So he gets in a cab (his bike is a thing of the past) and tells the driver the address of Harvey’s building.

He waves to the night doorman as he walks past (third one this year, he wonders why they can’t get one to stay longer than four months) and heads straight to Harvey’s floor. Only when he gets out of the elevator and approaches Harvey’s door he can see an envelope stuck to the dark wood. When he approaches he can see his own name in Harvey’s messy scrawl, so he pulls the envelope down and opens it.

There is a key inside.

With a smile he can’t hide he takes it out and unlocks the door, stepping into the softly lit apartment (seriously does Harvey always have the lights set on mood lighting??) to find Harvey in the kitchen, pouring a pan of risotto into two bowls.

Mike doesn’t say anything, just stands there in the middle of the room, and when Harvey looks up and smiles at him like him being here is the most natural thing in the world something in Mike lets go.

Harvey strides over and places one of the bowls into his hands. “Figured you’d be hungry after sitting in your apartment stressing all evening.”

Mike just laughs, follows Harvey over to the couch. They settle in and watch some TV and Mike can feel the key to Harvey’s door pressing into his thigh through his jeans pocket.

He thought he knew Harvey pretty well. Turns out Harvey knows him even better.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/44053139659/looking-back-it-should-have-been-obvious-how#notes) gifset.

Looking back, it should have been obvious.

How could there have been any doubt? When Harvey looks at Mike, sleeping soundly in their bed, still and content and so fucking perfect, he can’t believe he ever thought there could be an outcome other than this.

He can still remember the first time he felt it, that little inkling, that feeling deep in his chest that hinted at unrealised feelings and whispered promises of a future together. And he would like to say that it was only recently, that as soon as he realised he manned up and told Mike and they got together straight away.

But that didn’t happen.

Because he first realised that his feelings for Mike may have gone beyond the professional that first week, when Mike tried to cut and run and Harvey chased him down and Mike came back into work the next day, talking about how there had only ever been one person who’d told him what he needed to hear and maybe it was time to listen to someone else.

His whole life Mike had only really trusted one person (his Grammy) and after a mere few days Mike was putting the same amount of trust and faith in him.

Really, how the fuck was he not supposed to fall for Mike then and there?

But he didn’t do anything about it, just ignored it, did the figurative ‘put your fingertips in your ears and sing _la la laaa_ to block it out’. But that never worked, and the feelings just got stronger as the time went along. He tried denial, tried rationalisation, tried logic, tried telling himself it wasn’t meant to be and could never work out, tried everything but nothing ever worked.

He remembers when Mike came to work high and he kicked him out, and how much he still wanted him. He remembers when Mike convinced Clifford to let them take his case, and the swell of affection and trust so deep in his soul. He remembers the first (and only) time they got high together, and the ease and utter rightness of every moment. He remembers Mike coming to his apartment, all those times, unannounced and usually with some kind of work emergency as pretext but then he would collapse onto the couch and not move for hours, and his desire for the moment to never end.

But most importantly he remembers the moment when he couldn’t deny it any longer, had to do _something_ , consequences be damned. He remembers kissing Mike, crowding their bodies together, straddling the younger man’s lap as they pulled at each other’s clothes. He remembers hands and mouths and cocks and bliss. He remembers the morning after, the complete clarity that came with the new day, the knowledge that this was forever.

And now he can look at Mike, still by his side all the years later, and know that he was right.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/44353228656/unsurprisingly-harvey-located-mike-in-the-file#notes) gif.

Unsurprisingly, Harvey located Mike in the file room.

It had become Mike’s home away from home the last three days. He had told Harvey that his cubicle and indeed even the library were too noisy, too full of distractions. Harvey had offered up his office, and Mike had smiled and said thank you but that he didn’t want to disturb Harvey either and the file room was fine. (The older man suspected Mike did in fact use his office in the painfully late evening hours or the excruciatingly early hours of the near twenty hour work days Mike had been putting in this week, but said nothing of it.)

Harvey wouldn’t say he was going to check on Mike and see how he was doing, because this was a tough business and you either hardened up or burned out. But only getting a couple of hours of sleep a day for several days in a row was bound to lead to poor work performance, so really, there was nothing altruistic about checking on Mike at this late hour. He was just ensuring the quality of his associates work, thereby preventing the need to redo shoddy work which would increase work productivity.

That was his excuse and he was sticking to it.

He could tell Mike was surprised to see him, his head whipping up and highlighter falling from his lips, the way he blinked in rapid succession, like he wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was real. He obviously decided it was, because he smiled sleepily before rubbing his hands over his face, obviously trying to perk himself up slightly.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Mike said, or at least, that’s what Harvey _assumed_ he said, as the words were mostly drowned out by a rather large yawn.

Harvey made the decision instantly. It certainly wasn’t his intention when he came down here, but seeing Mike like this, with his ashen skin and tired eyes, asking Mike where he was at with the latest contract just seemed mean.

"Come on, Mike," Harvey said instead, crossing the room to physically pull Mike from the chair.

Mike protested but they were vaguely false, like it was what he thought Harvey wanted, for him to protest about leaving and saying there was more work to be done, while he actually was too tired to care about the work at all and was actually quite happy to be pulled away. He allowed Harvey to lead him away, moved in that barely conscious way, completely pliable, and when Harvey bundled Mike into a cab and actually got in beside him, telling the driver his own address, all without comment from Mike Harvey knew how truly exhausted he was.

The traffic wasn’t too bad (as well it should be at nearly 1am), but even in the short drive to Harvey’s apartment he could feel Mike beside him, leaning back into the seat, eyes closed, head tipped in his direction and threatening to rest on Harvey’s shoulder, his whole body wrecked with exhaustion. When they got to the building and stepped out into the cool night air Mike looked up at the large glass structure with a confused expression. Harvey wrapped a hand around his wrist to lead him inside, and as they were in the elevator Mike groaned, “If there is more work in your apartment Harvey I swear I will quit right here and now.”

Harvey chuckled warmly. “No work, Mike,” he assured him, and yet Mike didn’t appear as reassured as he should, expression going from exhausted to apprehensive.

But they were at Harvey’s floor before Mike could say anything else, Harvey placing a gentle hand on Mike’s back to encourage him down the hallway.

Once they were in the warmth of Harvey’s condo Mike finally turned to Harvey, presumably to ask what the hell was going on. So Harvey beat him to it.

"I appreciate all the work you’ve put in this week, Mike. But you need to sleep before you drive yourself crazy or make yourself sick. So go shower. I’ll leave a change of clothes for you on my bed. Get some sleep and I’ll see you in the morning."

"What about you?" Mike asked, like he was completely unperturbed by his boss randomly taking him home and offering his bed to sleep in.

"I’ve still got some work to do. I can sleep out here."

"I can’t deprive you of your own bed, Harvey."

"It’s fine," he assured him. "Trust me, you deserve it much more than I do. Go. Shower, sleep, I’ll see you in the morning."

Mike looked like he was about to protest but didn’t. Instead he gave Harvey a small but grateful smile, nodded once, and headed in the direction of the master.

Harvey could hear Mike moving around his condo, and then the sound of running water as he settled in to work. Though they were in fact working on the same case, there were so many facets to it they had decided simply to split the load and get through as much as they could individually, barely having time to meet a few times a day to update the other on anything relevant. The perks of being senior partner were that he could take files from the office and work from home. Mike had no such luxury, and he couldn’t help but think about his associate, bone tired but still willing to keep going until he was physically forced to stop, his commitment to their client and his job something Harvey would always admire (because as much as he had given Mike shit for it, really, with a mind like he had Mike could do something legitimate but far less taxing, something that didn’t require twenty hour work days, and as much as Harvey loves his own job, sometimes he wondered about a slower pace of life).

Eventually the sounds of the shower stopped, and Harvey tried desperately to not thing about Mike in his bedroom, damp, naked, changing into Harvey’s clothes. He focused on his work, kept his gaze fixed so hard on the words in front of him that his eyes began to hurt. He absolutely did not think about Mike, warm and sleeping in his bed. He didn’t think about his pale skin and sandy hair against his sheets.

At least, he tried.

And it wasn’t even a sexual thing (okay, it wasn’t a _completely_ sexual thing). It was more about that feeling of completion, the way everything seemed that much better and right when Mike was there, the way they both filled those missing pieces in each other’s lives. He felt _whole_ with Mike around. It was like being settled, being truly at ease with himself and his surroundings. He had to admit, it was a feeling he could get used to.

It must’ve been nearly an hour later when the sound of a throat being cleared caught his attention. He looked up to see Mike, leaning against the doorjamb, sleep soft in the pyjama pants and faded threadbare tee Harvey had lent him.

"Harvey, come to bed."

The words were soft and simple, a statement not to be argued or denied. Mike didn’t even wait for a reply, just turned and walked back into the master bedroom.

Harvey spent a good five seconds debating his options before giving in with a small smile, standing and following Mike into the bedroom.


	31. when you wake me up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday gift for my dear smartalli.

Harvey was waiting for his dinner meeting to arrive when his phone rang. He thought he’d turned it off but his client wasn’t here yet, so he pulled his cell from his suit pocket, expecting it to be Mike.

It wasn’t.

He saw Amel’s name on the caller ID and smiled, answering with a murmured, “Hey, beautiful.”

"Hi, Harvey. How are you?"

"Excellent as always. You?"

"Good. I’m in town for a photo-shoot. Thought I’d see if you were free to catch up tonight."

Harvey grinned. Amel was an old friend, and their catch-ups always ended in a rather enjoyable night in Harvey’s condo or her hotel suite. The idea had appeal – things had been crazy lately, it might be a good idea to decompress, blow off some steam with an old friend.

"Sure. I’m at a client meeting though. How about we meet up after? The usual place, say eleven-ish?"

"Absolutely. See you then."

He hung up just as Wilkensen approached the table. He quickly slid the phone away, standing and greeting him with a handshake.

"How the hell are you, Harvey?" Edwin asked, smiling.

"I’m well. You?"

"Can’t complain."

Edwin never did. That was one of Harvey’s favorite things about him. As a lawyer sometimes it felt that all people ever did was bitch and moan at him. But Edwin was one of his favorite clients for a reason. They worked well together, and even more importantly, they got on well together. Nothing was ever rushed or dramatic, it was an easy relationship, one that benefited both of them.

After they ordered drinks Edwin looked around, as though something was missing.

"Sidekick get the night off?"

Harvey laughed. “He wishes. No, Mike is back at the office, going over all the contracts from Fraser & Clarkson with a fine-toothed comb to make sure they didn’t try and slip something past us.”

"Shouldn’t _you_ have done that already?” Edwin asked, teasing.

"Oh believe me, I did. But as much as I hate to admit it, he has a knack for picking up on stuff that gets missed by others. Figured a second look couldn’t hurt."

"Well well, Harvey Specter finally admits that someone is better than him at something."

Harvey didn’t reply. He wasn’t going to belittle Mike by arguing the statement, but admitting that there were things this errant kid was naturally better at than him was surprisingly difficult. Don’t get him wrong, he was proud of Mike, so fucking proud, but he had worked hard for twenty years to get where he was, and he was still thrown by the inherent aptitude Mike had in areas that he had struggled with when he was Mike’s age.

"Plus, there’s the bonus of keeping him working on a Friday night," Edwin mused, and Harvey couldn’t help but laugh.

"Okay," Harvey replied, pulling some folders from his briefcase under the table. "Let’s get to it. The sooner we go through all this the sooner we can enjoy some fine dining."

"At my expense, of course," Edwin smiled.

"Of course," Harvey happily replied.

So they got to work, going over some of the finer points of the merger, ironing out some of the more fastidious problems. They talked all through dinner, sometimes about work but Harvey couldn’t deny that more often than not they went off on random tangents they barely found their way back from. As working evenings went, he’d had a lot worse.

It was past ten when Harvey left the restaurant. His plan was to go back to the office, hand over everything to Mike before heading to The Loft to meet Amel. And then his evening could really begin.

The hallways of Pearson Hardman were dim and deserted as he walked across the floor. But when he approached his office light was spilling from it into the hallway. With a quirked eyebrow he entered the room, only to be greeted with a sight he never expected.

Mike, lying on the couch, folder open on his chest, fast asleep.

Harvey waited for the annoyance to surface but it never did. Instead he laughed lightly, strangely warmed by the sight before him.

He left his briefcase on the table, crossed the room, crouching down beside the couch. Mike looked so peaceful like this, none of those whirling gestures that came along with a mind that worked as fast as his did. He thought about how best to wake him, vacillating between a gentle nudge or screaming in his ear to wake the younger man with a start.

As amusing as the latter option was, he couldn’t do it. He loved to mess with Mike, but Harvey didn’t think he had ever seen Mike look this relaxed, content. It bothered him in a way he couldn’t define, so decided for once to not be the asshole boss and instead he carefully pulled the file out from under Mike’s hands, setting it on the coffee table.

"Mike," Harvey whispered, prodding at his shoulder. "Hey. Mike, wake up."

Harvey couldn’t say he was surprised when the younger man didn’t even stir. He kept prodding, said his name a couple of times, but still nothing.

Harvey let out a deep breath, shifting to his knees on the floor to steady his balance. He kept his hand on Mike’s shoulder as the younger man slumbered away. He couldn’t help but keep his eyes fixed on Mike, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the rhythmic sound of his breathing filling the room.

The movement was involuntary, his hand moving from Mike’s shoulder to thread gently through his hair. He ran his fingers through a couple of times before they lodged there, fingers pausing in the short hairs above Mike’s ear as his thumb gently massaged a line across his forehead, his eyebrow.

And of course that’s when Mike woke up.

He stirred just enough for Harvey to quickly withdraw his hand, Mike turning his head to face him as he blearily opened his eyes. Harvey didn’t have enough time to get away, to pretend like he wasn’t perched by his makeshift bed like an idiot, but in the end it didn’t seem to matter. Because Mike opened his eyes, blinked and few times, and then smiled, murmuring a soft, “Harvey.”

He turned his whole body onto his side, like he was just trying to get more comfortable, and he reached over, hand briefly caressing Harvey’s face before he closed his eyes again. Mike sighed happily, hand dropping limply and resting against Harvey’s chest, before seemingly falling asleep again.

Harvey was surprised to find he’d been holding his breath. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, right near Mike’s hand, and it felt like in this moment something was happening, something significant. Which was stupid, because all it was was Mike asleep on his couch and it shouldn’t mean anything but somehow it felt like it meant _everything_.

He wrapped a hand around Mike’s with every intention of moving it back to rest on the couch, but what he didn’t expect was for Mike’s fingers to curl around his own. Harvey couldn’t help it. He left it there, their twined hands, resting against his heart, and just stared at this man who had somehow come to mean more to him than he ever expected.

After a few minutes he let go, rested Mike’s hand on the couch, got up on shaky legs and crossed the room to his desk. He dialled Amel’s cell number, eyes never leaving his sleeping associate.

"Hello?" Amel said loudly, and Harvey could hear the sound of what was clearly a very interesting party around her.

"Hey, Amel," Harvey said. "Look, I’m sorry about this, but I’m not gonna make it tonight."

"Get a better offer?" she asked, but there was no venom in her words. They’d known each other too long for any of that crap.

Harvey watched Mike, and said, “I don’t know.” And he really didn’t. He didn’t know what his plan was after hanging up the phone. All he knew was that he didn’t want to leave his sleeping associate to go and hook up with an old friend, which would’ve been fun but ultimately meaningless. “It’s complicated,” he added, in perhaps the world’s biggest understatement.

"It always is with you," Amel laughed, and Harvey silently agreed. "Okay, well, have a good evening, Harvey."

"You too. Take care."

He hung up the phone and knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He had to make a decision.

So he packed up his things, found Mike’s satchel and packed everything into that too, before heading back to Mike. He sat on the coffee table, gently gripped Mike’s arm and shook, trying to wake him as gently as possible.

"Come on, Mike," he said, as Mike began to stir. "Time to go home."

Mike slowly opened his eyes. “Home?” he asked, like he was confused about what that word even meant.

But Harvey smiled, because he wasn’t confused. Not anymore. “Yeah. _Home_.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/51278413139/it-takes-until-he-has-exited-the-elevator-on-the#notes) graphic.

It takes until he has exited the elevator on the fiftieth floor for Mike to realise he probably looks really shady and should’ve thrown on something other than skinny jeans, a grey hoodie and black jacket. But when he woke up at three am to find the space in the bed beside him still empty, his brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. He just knew his better half needed saving (from himself more than anyone else) and so he pulled on the first thing he saw that would stave off the autumn chill and hailed a cab and here he was.

He tentatively creeps to the entrance of the elevator bay and peeks around the corners, looking for signs of life. The last thing he needs is to stumble across a random member of the security team who would likely jump to erroneous conclusions. Luckily the floor looked deserted, so he begins striding across the floor with purpose, heading to Harvey’s office.

Light from the room spills onto the darkened hallway. The silence feels strange compared to the normal buzz of the building, and not wanting to startle the older man Mike approaches softly.

Harvey is sitting at his desk, the glass surface in front of him covered in files and paper. He’s so engrossed in the work he doesn’t notice Mike lingering on the other side of the glass wall, and Mike takes a moment to watch. Harvey somehow still looks impeccable, despite the time. His only concession to the late hour is his jacket thrown over the chaise and his slightly loosened tie, but his vest is still on and buttoned and his hair is still all in place and Mike can’t help but smile softly at him. Even being here alone he still keeps his armour in place, refuses to let his guard down for a moment. Mike understands why he does it, even now, why he feels the need to protect himself from the world at large. But he doesn’t mind, won’t try and change him. Because Mike is the only one who gets to see the real Harvey, and he gets to strip the armour away at the end of each day, both figuratively and literally.

Once he’s had his fill he gently pushes the door open, the noise startling Harvey slightly, his face showing hints of surprised panic when he looks up. He immediately relaxes when he sees that it’s Mike, lips quirking into a tired smile.

"What are you doing here?" Harvey asks, voice rough from disuse.

Mike smiles softly. “Funny, I was just going to ask you the same thing.”

Harvey’s face immediately falls. “I can’t find anything. Barrera is going to get away scot-free with millions in his pocket while Albers loses everything and I … I can’t _fix_ this.”

It wretches at Mike’s insides to hear Harvey so deflated. He winds his way around the desk, Harvey swivelling on his chair to face him. Mike stops when their knees press together and Harvey doesn’t even hesitate, leaning forward to bury his face in Mike’s stomach. Mike sighs, hands instantly threading through Harvey’s hair in soothing motions. They stay like that for several long moments, Mike determining not to pull away until Harvey does, to give Harvey everything he needs. Eventually Harvey pulls back, looks up at Mike, and Mike doesn’t even think about it, just leans down and kisses him.

Mike’s hands cradle Harvey’s face. He looks so tired, so defeated. Mike knows he should come home, come to bed, refresh his mind so he can see everything clearly. But he also knows Harvey can be a stubborn bastard when he wants to be, and might dig his heels in and refuse to go.

"I love you, Harvey. If anyone can fix this, it’s you. I know it. So tell me, what do you need? What can I do?"

Harvey smiles lightly, leaning into Mike’s touch. “You came here to drag me home, didn’t you?”

Mike chuckles as he nods. “Yup, because I think you need sleep and rest and to recharge. But if you honestly think you’re okay, and that you want to keep going, then point me to a folder and let me help.”

Harvey seems to consider it for a moment before slowly standing. As soon as he’s upright he kisses Mike, chaste but lingering, and then pulls back just far away enough to murmur, “Take me home.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/51368225721/harvey-is-drumming-his-fingers-on-the-arm-of-his#notes) picture. This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but can be read as a stand-alone.

Harvey is drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, and it takes all of Mike’s willpower to not glare at him or physically reach over to stop him. But he lets Harvey go, despite the noise fraying Mike’s already threadbare nerves, because he can’t begrudge him for showing the anxiety they both share.

Because the truth was, they were starting to lose hope. The agency had set them up with eight separate surrogate candidates so far and none of them were right. And it wasn’t just about the surrogates genetics, though they’d be lying to say that wasn’t a major part of it. But they had agreed from the outset that though the birth mother would have no official part in their child’s life, they were still going to be part of Harvey and Mike’s life for close to a year, and they wanted to find someone they liked, someone they respected and trusted, someone that they could speak well of when their child inevitably asked about their mother years down the track.

And they still hadn’t found anyone.

It wasn’t a surprise to know that Harvey was the most stubborn about the issue. Mike had actually quite liked one of the women they’d met (Lucy, candidate number five) and would’ve been happy with her, but Harvey wasn’t convinced, and Mike gave up the chance to have their child born sooner to ensure they were born to the right person. It had stung, having to watch Lucy walk away, and with her the idea that maybe they’d never find anyone and he could be watching their last chance slip through their fingers. But even though Harvey never said exactly why, he fought all of Mike’s arguments, and Mike could never choose someone his husband wasn’t entirely happy with, and that was that.

Mike has lost count of how many surrogate files they had read through (and given how his brain worked that was saying something) and of all those they had only managed to find eight possibilities (nine, he supposes, including the one they were currently waiting for). He doesn’t know how much longer they can keep searching.

Mike chances a look at Harvey, and it doesn’t take long for the older man to turn and meet his gaze. Harvey is still drumming his fingers and Mike finally reaches over and takes his hand, laces their fingers together.

"I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this," Harvey says, and oh god Mike has never heard him sound so broken. Harvey is gripping his fingers and there is tiredness around his eyes and in his weaker moments Mike has wondered if Harvey’s pickiness was because he’s scared or not ready for this, but seeing him now, he knows that’s not it at all. He wants this, but he wants it to be right, and won’t settle for anything less. Even if that means they don’t have it at all.

"Okay," Mike says. It’s an unspoken promise that they won’t keep searching forever, that if they can’t find someone soon then they’ll stop, explore other options, put an end to this once and for all.

The room falls silent again, and they just wait, hands clasped. Not long later their agent comes in with the latest candidate, someone who they only knew up until now by a generic number, and they both stand to greet her.

She’s nothing like Mike pictured. Her hair is dark and pulled back in a messy plait, her skin is even paler than his, her eyes green and bright. She introduces herself as Siobhan and shakes their hands, and when she says, “Nice to meet you,” Mike detects a faint Irish accent.

Their agent slips quietly from the room and Siobhan sits opposite them. Harvey asks her to tell them about herself, and she does, smiling as she speaks, and somewhere deep inside Mike just knows. So he returns her smile, because he has just met their child’s mother.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/52043965372/are-you-really-going-to-keep-ignoring-me-mike#notes) graphic.

"Are you really going to keep ignoring me?"

Mike had heard Harvey come into the conference room in which he was working, but he’d kept his eyes focused on his work. So yes, Mike was obviously going to continue ignoring Harvey.

With his head bent down Mike could only sense Harvey coming further into the room. His eyes had stopped focusing on the words in front of him, and even though for the last week he had done his best to prevent the two of them being alone together, there they were, and he’s just as aware of Harvey’s presence as he always was.

"Look, I’m sorry about what happened, okay?"

And Mike scoffed, finally looking up and facing the older man. “Which part?” Mike asked, getting up out of his chair because he refused to have this conversation on anything but equal footing.

Harvey looked away, uncomfortable under Mike’s hard glare. But Mike wouldn’t stop. Because he had been perfectly content ignoring Harvey and working alone and trying to ignore how his heart broke a little more each day. It was self-preservation at its best, and Mike couldn’t help but think that in any other circumstance Harvey would be proud of him for it.

When it became obvious that Harvey wasn’t going to respond he pressed with, “The part where this time last week we were out celebrating a frankly badass win and ended up making out in the back corner of _Summit_? Or where you ignored my texts all weekend and then showed up on Monday like the whole thing never happened?”

Harvey managed to meet his eyes, and Mike felt the weight of their whole relationship pressing down on his shoulders. Because Harvey looked torn, uncertain, which he never was. But if nothing else this last week had taught him not to get his hopes up. He was stupid enough to go down that road last weekend, still on a high from the feel of Harvey’s skin against his, his mouth warm and inviting. But then, after a weekend of silence, Monday rolled around and Mike’s simmering fears were confirmed when Harvey basically treated him the same as always. But Mike couldn’t go back, not from that, not from Harvey. So he did the only thing he could, cutting himself off as best he could, putting as much distance between them as he was able.

"Both," Harvey managed at last, and Mike felt that single word like a blow to the chest.

Mike couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. Because of course. Of fucking course Harvey regretted it. Why wouldn’t he? He was a straight, high-flying lawyer, who didn’t care about Mike beyond his professional obligations and why did Mike think, even for a second, that things could be otherwise. He turned back to the table, packing up his things. He just needed to get out, get away, try and figure out how the fuck he was going to get over Harvey.

"What is it that you want from me, Mike?" Harvey asked with a sigh.

And Mike couldn’t believe he was even asking, like it wasn’t painfully clear. The only explanation Mike’s mind could conjure was that he was asking because he wanted Mike to say it, out loud, on the record and never to be taken back. Because for all they’d talked about this, it’s true, Mike never really told Harvey what he wanted.

But Mike resented that Harvey was making him do all the hard work. Yes, their relationship was built on that push and pull. It was as intrinsic to their relationship as the banter and overstepping boundaries was. But pushing Mike in the here and now, after everything that had happened over the last week, like Mike was the one being unreasonable or something, seemed unnecessarily mean, even for Harvey.

Mike looked Harvey in the eyes, incredibly finding some of his pain echoed there. His voice was tinged with sadness when he said, “Nothing you can actually give me.”

Because Mike needed someone who won’t toy with him, who would love as open and unabashedly as Mike did. And even if Harvey did feel the same as he did, it had become clear that he couldn’t (wouldn’t) act on it. And Mike never thought he’d turn the lesson so thoroughly instructed by Harvey against him, but he’d learnt from his experiences with Trevor, and wouldn’t let Harvey drag him down with unreturned feelings. So he packed up his belongings and walked away.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/52290650955/mikes-eyes-quickly-scan-the-pages-it-all-seems#notes) graphic.

Mike’s eyes quickly scan the pages. It all seems pretty standard to begin with, but then the longer he reads the more incredulous he becomes.

"Seriously?" he asks, looking up with a completely bewildered expression. "You signed this thing?"

"No, I’ve just been squatting there illegally for the last five years," Harvey says with an eye roll. "Of course I signed it."

"No pets other than fish?"

Harvey smirks. “What, are you disappointed you can’t get that llama you always wanted?”

Mike laughs. “Llama?”

"It was the first thing that came to mind," Harvey says with a shrug.

Mike goes back to the lease agreement. “No gatherings of more than ten people at a time?”

"Hosting parties is a drag," Harvey says dismissively.

"All noises, including music and television, to be kept under seventy decibels?"

"I’m never home enough to watch TV anyway. But yeah, that one’s a bitch. I’ve actually seen them with sound level meters in the hallways whenever someone puts their music up just that little bit."

"No nudity in the gym?"

"No comment."

Mike keeps reading for a few more minutes before he puts the contract aside (well, perhaps throwing it aside would be more accurate). “You can’t actually expect me to sign that thing.”

Harvey looks away. “Oh. Okay. If you’ve changed your mind-“

"What? No! Of course not," Mike says quickly. He crosses the room to where Harvey sits on the couch, immediately collapsing onto the leather beside him. Even though it’s the middle of the work day and Jessica gave them a strict ‘no hanky panky in the office’ lecture (and wasn’t that just the most embarrassing meeting in his life) he leans over and kisses Harvey. He kinda expects Harvey to pull away, because the man is even less fond of public displays of affection than Mike is. But he doesn’t. His hand steals to Mike’s neck, fingertips lightly touching the neck above his collar.

"I can’t wait to live with you," Mike assures him when they finally break apart, and Harvey smiles, a hint of relief around his eyes. "But I’m still not signing that lease. Because I can live with the no pets and the no parties and the no loud noises and all those other insane rules, but there is one in there that I can’t agree to."

Harvey quirks an eyebrow, curious. “What’s that?”

And Mike doesn’t even hesitate. He looks Harvey in the eyes and says, “The no children rule.”

Mike can see Harvey try to hide his surprise, but Mike knows him too well now. And okay, they’ve never really talked about the kids thing before, and maybe they should have considering that they’re about to move in together. But Mike is in this for real, for forever, and as cliché as it is he wants the marriage and the kids and all the stuff that other people take for granted but Mike never could. And living somewhere that bans the kind of life he wants is a step backwards, one he’s not willing to take.

"Okay," Harvey says, like it’s that simple. He kisses Mike briefly and says, "We can start looking at new apartments tomorrow."


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/54170934531/the-alarm-blares-loudly-pulling-mike-from-a#notes) gif.

The alarm blares loudly, pulling Mike from a contented dream. With a groan he reaches over and slams the infernal machine off, returning to his original position in the bed, warm and cosy despite only being covered by a thin sheet.

He lays there for near on twenty seconds before he remembers. He sits instantly, eyes wide open and looking around his empty bedroom.

No Harvey.

Mike tries not to let the disappointment overwhelm him. Should he really have expected otherwise? Still being here in the morning after would imply some kind of commitment, would suggest that maybe this wasn’t a one-off, that he was interested in more. And Mike knows that that wasn’t what last night was about. Last night was great, fucking amazing, but it didn’t mean anything. It was just the two of them blowing off steam in the middle of a difficult case and he didn’t even want anything real with Harvey anyway.

At least, that’s what he tells himself. He repeats the mantra, over and over, so it drowns out the truth lurking in the corner of his heart, threatening to leap forth and ruin everything. Because he doesn’t want to hear about how he was head over fucking heels in love with Harvey, and he definitely wanted to ignore the sound of his heart creaking under its own weight as it breaks into small pieces, never to be mended.

Mike runs a hand through his shaggy bed hair. He needs to get up. It’s still a work day, they still have a case to solve, he still has to get up and go to work and act like the whole thing never happened.

He’s on the verge of moving, having finally talked himself into facing the day, when the sound of his apartment door opening startles him. He can’t breathe, panic flooding through his veins as a stranger breaks into his home (because what other explanation could there be?), can’t focus on anything but his heart thudding in his chest.

And then Harvey appears before him, dressed in yesterday’s suit and holding a delicious smelling paper bag. Mike can’t help it, falling back onto the bed, hands covering his face as he laughs with relief.

"You okay?" Harvey asks with more amusement than concern.

"You scared the shit out of me, Harvey," Mike replies, leaning up on his elbows, and even he can’t work out if he’s talking about worrying about Harvey being an intruder or waking up in the bed alone and thinking Harvey had left.

"Awwww," Harvey says, kicking off his shoes, "poor baby."

Mike tries to glare at Harvey’s condescension but doesn’t get too far because Harvey drops the bag onto the foot of the bed and crawls towards him, pressing his mouth to Mike’s before the younger man even has a chance to process what’s happening.

Mike immediately deepens the kiss, falling back onto the bed, feeling the weight of Harvey pressing into him. They make out lazily, and Mike can’t help pushing Harvey’s jacket from his body, pulling at his tie.

"I thought you’d gone," Mike whispers between kisses, a confession and a lament all in one.

Harvey smiles against his mouth. “Never.”


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/54794450170/mike-rarely-has-his-breath-taken-away-hes-the#notes) gif.

Mike rarely has his breath taken away.

He’s the first to admit that he falls in love way too hard and way too fast. But even so, even in that rush of a new romance, he’s rarely so overwhelmed with surprise or the intensity of his feelings that he can’t breathe.

He thinks it says something that all the completely crazy, awe-inspiring, surprising, breath taking moments have been with Harvey.

But all of them, from their first kiss to Harvey’s public declaration to half of Pearson Hardman last month, they all pale into comparison to this. Because Harvey has just sunk down onto one knee and he’s looking up at Mike, head tilted and smiling brightly, and Mike can’t breathe.

"Are you serious?" Mike blurts, before Harvey has even had a chance to say anything.

And Harvey doesn’t even mind, laughing good naturedly and giving Mike a moment to calm down. “You okay?” Harvey asks after a few moments, and Mike sucks in a deep breath. “Ready?”

Mike nods, grinning. “Ready.”

"Okay." And now it’s Harvey who takes a moment, looking up at Mike with wondrous eyes and a smile that’s starting to quiver. "I wanted to make some big speech about how much I love you and want to spend my life with you and how you’re the only person I’ve ever met that feels like home to me. And it’s not that all that isn’t true, because it is. But I realised that, for us, the most important things normally go unsaid. And maybe other people wouldn’t understand that, wouldn’t like it, but I think it’s incredible. Because it means that we understand each other on every level. It’s intrinsic to who we are, like our very souls are somehow connected, and I want to spend the rest of my life saying everything and nothing to you. So, Mike-"

"Yes," Mike exclaims. "Yes, yes, yes."

Harvey laughs, standing up and invading Mike’s space, hands light on his hips. “What have I told you about interrupting me?”

"Too bad. This is who I am. You better get used to it, is all I’m saying."

Harvey grins, leaning in and kissing him. Mike responds in kind, opening his mouth and deepening the kiss, arms wrapped around Harvey’s shoulder.

"Marry me?" Harvey murmurs against his lips, voice so soft it’s barely audible.

But Mike hears every word. He hears everything Harvey says, whether it’s spoken aloud or not, and he decides that they’re done talking for now, just nodding his head as he pushes Harvey’s jacket from his shoulders.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/55410741477/gmacht-suits-au-harvey-left-pearson-hardman#notes) gifset.

"You’ll be fine."

He doesn’t look at Mike when he says it, and that combined with the low tone of his voice is more than enough to confirm to Mike that there’s something else going on here.

"You really miss it, don’t you?" Mike asks. And it’s not that he didn’t already know that. Pearson Hardman was Harvey’s life, of course he missed it. But right now, with Mike talking about leaving, it’s clear just _how much_ Harvey misses it.

And Harvey, he doesn’t dismiss the question, or pull out one of his patented deflections. He just takes another sip of his scotch and murmurs, “Yeah, I do.”

Mike walks around the counter, wraps his arms around Harvey’s chest, chin digging into his shoulder. Harvey’s fingers curl around his wrist, and Mike just holds him for a moment. “I swear I am going to make that bastard pay for what he did to you.”

Harvey doesn’t say anything, though Mike thinks he can feel the ghost of a smile from where his temple brushes Harvey’s cheek. Harvey brings Mike’s hand to his lips and presses a brief kiss to the back of it.

"Don’t worry about that," Harvey says. "Just let it go. Go in there and do the job I hired you for, the one you were meant to do."

"But I was meant to do it with you," Mike protests. Because it’s true. He would never have even stepped foot inside Pearson Hardman if it wasn’t for Harvey, and now, every time he walks in those doors it feels even worse than the day before. He passes Harvey’s old office, now completely transformed with a new partner installed, and he has to restrain himself from throwing something at the glass. He sits across a conference room table from Hardman and he wants to reach over and enact actual physical harm. He goes through the motions, does his work, but it all just feels so _empty_.

Harvey pulls out of his arms, turns in the chair to face him. “Do you really wanna work together again?” Harvey asks, and Mike can’t work out why it looks like he’s nervous to ask the question, because Mike thinks the answer is pretty fucking obvious.

But he nods anyway, says, “Of course.”

"I’m only two months into my non-compete. But when it’s done, I’m going to set up shop and I was hoping you’d want to come with me."

Mike just grins, stepping forward, hands framing Harvey’s face as he leans down and kisses him. He can feel Harvey’s fingers press into his hips, and Mike deepens the kiss, pours all of him into this one embrace.

When he pulls back Mike says, “Yes, of course I do. I’ll go anywhere with you, you know that.”

Harvey smiles up at him. “So don’t quit Pearson Hardman just yet. Keep working, keep learning, use your time there to figure out their weaknesses and liabilities. And when we’ve incorporated we’ll make sure that bastard gets everything he deserves.”

Mike tilts his head, grinning. “I love it when you get all hard-ass on me.” Harvey quirks his eyebrow but before he can say anything Mike says, “Don’t even go there, it’s a cheap shot.”

Harvey chuckles. He stands, kissing Mike briefly before head into the kitchen.

"So, what are we gonna call ourselves?" Mike asks. "Ross & Specter? Ross Specter? Ross, Specter & Associates?"

"Um, why do you get your name first, Mr First Year Associate?"

"Uh, hello, alphabetical."

Harvey just rolls his eyes, starts moving around the kitchen to prepare dinner as he says, “We’ll be called Specter & Ross. We’ll hire some associates, so keep your ears open, see if any of the half decent associates talk about leaving. Donna will obviously come with us, and I’m sure she can find some other admin staff to bring along. We won’t only hire from Harvard, because we both know that’s not a pre-requisite to being a brilliant lawyer. I’ll reach out to some clients I know aren’t happy Hardman drove me out so we’ll have a good client base right from the off, which will bring in more big names. I’ve started looking online at office spaces to see what kind of space is available and how -” Harvey breaks off mid word, looking at Mike confused. “What is it?”

Mike realises that he’s kinda frozen, staring at Harvey as the older man nonchalantly talks about their future in no uncertain terms. Harvey isn’t unsure. He isn’t scared. He knows exactly what he wants and what needs to be done to achieve it.

And Mike has never been so in love with him.

"Have I ever told you that I am fucking crazy in love with you?"

And he hasn’t. He’s never said those three words, hasn’t heard them from Harvey either. And Mike doesn’t even feel scared at opening himself up this way, making himself vulnerable, because if Harvey can be certain then so can he.

And Harvey just smiles shyly, looking away. “Good,” he says, “because you and I are going to be together for a very long time.”


	39. arithmetic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the start of an actual fic but I couldn't get it to work so you get it as a drabble. It's part fic, part meta, and I think you'll see why I couldn't really go anywhere with it. Written after season two.

Mike is self aware enough that he saw this coming.

When he looks back at all the most important romantic relationships he has had, there is a common theme that runs through them. Boiled down to a mathematical equation (because that’s just how his brain works) it would go something like this: time x proximity = attraction.

Tess was his next door neighbour and they saw each other pretty much every day from age three onwards. Trevor was his best friend and during their teen years they were nigh on inseparable. Jenny was his best friend’s girlfriend for half a decade, and he spent many an evening crashing their dates or hanging together at her place. Rachel was someone he spent long hours with, for days and weeks on end, cooped up in the library or conference room together.

The attraction is sometimes there from the start, sometimes it’s not. But the clear constant is that Mike always falls for people that he spends all his time with. He’s never really done the whole ‘meet-cute straight into a relationship’ thing, they were always his friends first. And sometimes he wonders what that says about him, that he can’t jump in feet first straight away, that there is always months or even years of friendship first.

So, really, Mike is well aware that falling for Harvey was always going to happen.

There was a small chance his affections may have gone to Donna, the only other person he spends a significant amount of time with, but deep down he always knew it was going to be Harvey. Of course it was. Harvey with his stupid vests and enigmatic smile and that heart the beat so strong and full even though he buried it under layers of armour.

But even recognising that the inevitable has finally occurred, even knowing that he saw this coming a million miles away, doesn’t really help him in dealing with it. Because, all evidence and Harvey’s proclamations to the contrary, Mike isn’t an idiot, okay. He is well aware that these feelings can never be anything but a one sided affair. But knowing that nothing can ever happen, now that he actually wants it to, is harder to deal with than he imagined.

And the list of reasons why he and Harvey can never be together is mindboggling in its extensiveness. He’s not saying he actually typed it one lonely and drunken evening, but if he did it might look something like this:

> 1.1 Although they are no longer boss and subordinate, Pearson Hardman still has a policy on fraternisation between ranks.  
> 1.2 The reason they are no longer boss and subordinate is because they couldn’t communicate well enough in their working relationship to prevent Mike from unintentionally betraying Harvey.  
> 1.3 And although they are slowly rebuilding their relationship after said betrayal, Mike doesn’t know if Harvey will ever forgive him.
> 
> 2.1 Mike doesn’t know if Harvey is even remotely bisexual or anywhere other than a 0 on the Kinsey Scale.  
> 2.2 He has seen Harvey flirt with men and make certain comments, enough to make him wonder, but then he has always seen him date and hook up with women and only women, so he’s still not sure.  
> 2.3 And really, after knowing each other for a year, shouldn’t they know this type of stuff about each other already? The fact that they don’t maybe says they aren’t as close as Mike likes to think they are.
> 
> 3.1 Harvey doesn’t do serious and committed relationships.  
> 3.2 No sub point necessary. It’s a fact not up for debate or further exploration. The only person Harvey can commit to is himself.
> 
> 4.1 Mike is way too dependent on Harvey as it is, and if this were to not work out, where would that leave him?  
> 4.2 Mike can’t plan for any other alternative than that one day Harvey will forgive him and he’ll be Harvey’s associate again. And when that time comes, if they try this thing and it doesn’t work, he will lose the man who is his boss and friend and, most importantly, saved him from going down a path he didn’t want to walk anyway.  
> 4.3 There is a reason for the whole ‘don’t put your eggs in one basket’ saying.
> 
> 5.1 Harvey is seriously out of his league.  
> 5.2 Seriously.  
> 5.3 This cannot be stressed enough. The man has a condo on the UWS with a private glass elevator for fuck’s sake.

The next morning in his hung-over state Mike finds the list and rips it into pieces.

But all of that, all of the reasons why they could never happen, isn’t even the most important part. The thing that matters most of all is that Mike feels more for Harvey than he has felt for anyone else in his whole life.

And isn’t that just fitting. Because no, Mike can’t go and fall in love with someone accessible (or relatively accessible, because Mike is self aware enough to know that most of his romantic entanglements have come with a certain level of drama) but with Harvey friggin Specter, inaccessible in virtually every quantifiable way.

Yup, perfect.

But even so, he can’t help but feel like there is something other worldly and, dare he say it, destined about him and Harvey. Mike has never put much stock into the idea of fate or destiny, but given everything that had to occur for them to even meet, he can’t help but wonder.

And when viewed objectively, he can’t help but see all his previous relationships as an abject lesson that perfectly prepared him for life with Harvey.

Timing is everything (Jenny).

There are some lines you don’t cross (Tess).

Just because you loved someone that didn’t mean you were meant to be together (Rachel).

Every relationship runs its course and there comes a time when you need to let people go (Trevor).

He knows his feelings are something he should just let go. If Harvey knew about them, he would want him to let them go. And not just because Harvey could never return them, but because Harvey believes that caring makes you weak. And despite how often Mike has called bullshit whenever Harvey said anything vaguely in that arena, at this point, Mike is starting to come around to Harvey’s way of thinking.

Because caring about Harvey got him to this point.

It was because he cared about Harvey that he ended up inadvertently betraying him. It was because he cared about Harvey that he did the stupidest thing imaginable and slept with Rachel. It was because he cared about Harvey that his whole life has been turned upside down, and not in a good way, leaving him floundering and confused and just plain  _weak_.

And he hates it, hates that feeling of disconnect, like he is floating adrift on wild seas and he no longer has anyone to tether himself to. But this is a situation of his own making (damn that self awareness) and now he has to live with the consequences.

He has to live with knowing that he has finally found that one person who could be everything to him but never will be. And he has to live with knowing that it’s all his own fault.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/56456981920/skyenapped-some-men-some-men-such-a#notes) gifset.

The déjà vu has been skirting around the corners of his mind for the last half hour, but this is the last straw.

Louis holds out a fork of cheesecake, tries to get Mike to eat it, and all Mike can do is push Louis away and remember the same act in a completely different set of circumstances. He makes some crack about Louis not being one of those men, and in his mind’s eye all he can see is Harvey, laughing and smiling, his eyes crinkled with mirth as he holds out a piece of cheesecake for Mike to taste. He remembers Harvey’s casual clothes, his relaxed and open expression, Mike’s teasing comment before he inched forward, leaning forward to take the fork into his mouth before very slowly pulling back. His stomach tightens as he remembers Harvey’s hooded expression, the change in the air around them, how they’d barely managed to make it back to Harvey’s apartment before they began ripping clothes from each other bodies (with actual ripping - Harvey’s shirt was never the same).

Louis is still talking at him and Mike forces himself to pay attention. Louis starts telling him about the case and doesn’t attempt to feed him any more food and Mike just feels Harvey’s absence like a hole in his chest.

It’s mostly autopilot for the rest of the day. He works with Louis on the case, makes only half the effort he would make for Harvey, and yet Louis still continues to praise him. Mike tries to feel some sense of normalcy, of being in the right place, when he’s working with Louis but he comes up short. His mind automatically contrasts them in his mind, Harvey and Louis, the way Mike feels when he works with them. And Mike knows that Louis is a good lawyer, a good man, that he cares about their firm and his clients.

But Mike just misses Harvey.

He knows he fucked up by letting Jessica blackmail him. He knows he fucked up by betraying Harvey. He wants to go to Harvey, beg his forgiveness (again), wants to tell him that he quickly learnt his lesson, wants to let Harvey know that Rachel tried to goad him into telling her everything but he didn’t because he cared about Harvey more. He wants to say that he was wrong but he’s learning and he’ll never make the same mistake twice.

But Harvey won’t let him. Harvey doesn’t answer his calls, ignores his emails, won’t meet his eye across the Pearson Hardman hallways, yells at him and kicks him out of the Harvey’s office whenever Mike goes in there. And Mike can’t take it anymore.

At the end of the day, just as he’s leaving, Louis finds him and asks him to be his associate. Mike smiles, hopes that he doesn’t hurt Louis or end up later regretting it when he says, “Thanks, Louis. That means a lot. But I can’t.”

Louis’ face falls and Mike grimaces, genuinely feeling bad for hurting him. But then Louis steels himself, nodding in understanding. “Harvey.”

That’s it, just one word to sum everything up, and Mike nods. “Yeah. Harvey.”

Louis nods once more, clapping him on the shoulder in what Mike thinks is a gesture of acceptance, before turning and walking away. Mike does the same, turning and walking to the elevator banks.

It’s not far to Harvey’s condo, and he’s scared, so scared that Harvey will just continue to rebuff him yet again. But Mike can’t not fight, doesn’t know how to give up on the one person who means the world to him.

The doorman won’t let him in, but they’ve chatted a few times over the last year, so Mike manages to get out of him that Harvey’s banned him from the building but he’s home right now if he wants to call him.

Mike gives the man his thanks, heads outside on the street, doesn’t even care about the pouring rain as he dials Harvey’s cell from the sidewalk.

Harvey doesn’t answer, so Mike sends him a text message.

_Louis tried to feed me cheesecake today._

Mike paces as he waits, but he’s still shocked when his phone buzzes a minute later. “Harvey.”

"Louis did what now?" Harvey demands, and Mike tries not to overestimate all the emotions he thinks he can hear in those four words.

"Harvey, can I come up? We need to talk?"

There’s a pause where Mike thinks Harvey’s just going to hang up on him. But then he says, “You’re here?”

"I’m outside, Harvey."

"Why did Louis try to feed you cheesecake?" Harvey asks, and Mike’s torn between feeling mad that Harvey won’t let him inside and relieved that he hasn’t just hung up.

"Because he wants me to be his associate." Mike runs a hand through his thoroughly damp hair, begins pacing. "It was like he was trying to woo me or something. He took me to lunch and asked me to help on his case and tried to feed me cheesecake and all it did was make me think of you. And I know I fucked up Harvey, but you need to know how sorry I am. I’m so fucking sorry. I miss you. It’s only been a few days and I miss your stupid vests and ironic lectures and your fucking incredible mind and your hands splayed on my ribs and your mouth on the back of my neck and do you want me to keep going because I will. I miss you coming by my cubicle and us getting hot dogs from disreputable vendors and you randomly showing up at my apartment and holy fuck you’re here…"

Harvey is right there, coming out of the building, cell phone pressed to his ear. His face is blank, but as he gets closer Mike can see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes are burning bright. Mike removes the phone from his ear, rendered silent at Harvey’s approach.

Harvey hangs up his phone, slides it into his pocket. They’re standing so close, just standing there in silence as the rain pours onto their bodies like this is some fucking romantic comedy or something. All of Mike’s words have left him. He wants to reach over and touch but doesn’t think he’ll be allowed. He just waits, watches Harvey become just as soaked as he is.

And then Harvey sighs, turning on his heel. He takes a few steps away, and Mike’s frozen in place, watching him walk away yet again. But then Harvey stops, looks over his shoulder at Mike and says, “Are you coming in or what?”

Mike doesn’t need asking twice.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/56598652399/rachel-in-the-middle-of-the-worst-week-ever-i#notes) gifset.

"Rachel, in the middle of the worst week ever, I have found a moment of something good. Now, please, we need to stop this."

Rachel stumbles back, lets go, but her face is scrunched up in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Mike sighs, rubs a hand over his face. He takes a few steps away, perches on the edge of his desk, needs to put some distance between them. He’s finally ready to put some distance between them.

"I can’t keep doing this with you, Rachel. This back and forth, off and on… It shouldn’t be this hard. We shouldn’t keep hurting each other this much. That’s not what love is."

Rachel looks pissed. Mike doesn’t blame her. Because he’s basically been flirting and hitting on her since the day they met, and now, after all these months and false starts, she has finally given in, admitted to her feelings, waited until the office was empty so she could find him, gathered the courage to kiss him, completely expecting him to return the embrace. But Mike can’t, and she’s probably completely surprised and hurt so he doesn’t blame her at all for what she says next.

"What do _you_ know about love?” she spits.

"This is what I know," Mike tells her. "I know that I had lost the last member of my family and I didn’t know how to deal with it, _couldn’t_ deal with it, so I came to work to distract myself. I know that you tried to tell me how I should be dealing with it. I know that Harvey let me deal with it in the exact way I needed. He didn’t push me, he just helped me deal with it in my own way. He didn’t berate me or my choices. He spent the whole night in my shitty apartment, just talking and being with me. He…”

But Mike can’t go on. He doesn’t want to hurt Rachel by telling her the truth. Because that night changed Mike’s life forever. He knows that no one else could’ve comforted him the way Harvey did, not Rachel or Trevor or Jenny or anyone, and Harvey did it just by being himself, just by showing up at Mike’s door and walking through it and _staying_.

Part of him was always waiting for Harvey. Even before this, from the moment they met, Mike was waiting for Harvey to show what Mike _knew_ to be true. That Harvey cared. That Mike was more to him than just his subordinate. That Harvey felt that connection they shared, more real than Mike had ever felt with anyone else. And everything else, Rachel and Jenny, they were just distractions. He’s not proud of the fact, never wanted to hurt anyone, and he still doesn’t want to hurt Rachel, because she deserves better than that.

But he also can’t pretend anymore. Harvey is the one he wants. Harvey is the one he’s in love with.

Rachel is just looking at him, hurt. He wants to apologise, but before he gets that chance she says, “Tell me, Mike. What happened that night with Harvey?”

Mike sighs. “You really don’t want to hear this,” he tries to warn her.

"I think I deserve to know."

And Mike can’t help but think that that right there was always their problem. Rachel always thought she deserved to know what Mike couldn’t tell her. Harvey knew everything he knew about Mike because Mike wanted him to know.

"What do you want me to say, Rachel?" Mike asks, getting annoyed for reasons he can’t discern. "That Harvey came over to my apartment and we basically got high and talked about nothing for hours on end. That we wandered the halls of Pearson Hardman and managed to figure out the truth behind Hardman’s plots together. That we went back to Harvey’s place and while Harvey was in the kitchen getting us some food and water to sober up I found his bedroom and passed out, fully clothed, on the foot of his bed. That I woke up in the morning to discover Harvey had taken care of me, taken off my shoes and thrown a blanket over me. That he gave up his bed and slept on the chaise in his bedroom for me. I mean, do you really wanna hear all this? Do you? Do you want me to tell you that I’m in love with him? Because I can if you want me to. I. Love. Him."

Rachel goes very still, and Mike can’t tell if a sense of calmness has come over her or if she is raging internally. But he finds it hard to care, because she asked, and he won’t ever lie about his relationship with Harvey. Hell, half the firm knows that Mike worships the man, if not from his actions then from him flat out saying that he believes in and trusts Harvey. Surely it can’t come as that much of a surprise to her.

She gives him one last cold look before walking away. Mike feels like an ass, and he turns to call her back so he can apologise, for his blunt delivery if nothing else. But when he does he sees Harvey, standing there looking at him with complete wonder etched over his features. Harvey doesn’t even seem to notice Rachel brushing past him as she flees the office, just keeps his eyes locked on Mike’s.

And Mike just stares right back, his lips quirking into a small smile.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/57051494421/the-thing-is-its-not-that-mike-was-discontent#notes) gifset.

The thing is, it’s not that Mike was discontent with his and Harvey’s relationship before it massively imploded. He loved their relationship. He liked that they worked well together and trusted each other and had each other’s backs and could banter and tease and everything always felt so real and important.

But working with Louis, even for so brief a time, put his relationship with Harvey into sharp relief and Mike realised two very important things:

As much as he respects (and yes, sometimes even likes) Louis, he never wants to work with anyone but Harvey.

As much as he likes his relationship with Harvey, he wants _more_.

Because he knows that Louis was just using the meals and mudding as pretty wrapping to make the idea of them working together more appealing. But the thing is, Mike wants that with Harvey. Okay, maybe not the mudding (although obviously Mike wouldn’t say no if the option was put on the table) but he wants all the rest of it. He wants them to grab a drink together after work. He wants to have lunches and dinners with Harvey, whether they are talking about work or not. He wants them to turn up on each other’s doorsteps for reasons that aren’t work related.

He feels ridiculously nervous, asking Harvey to get lunch, because their relationship has very pointedly not gone there before. But now that they are back together, he doesn’t want everything to be as they were before. He wants more, and he just hopes Harvey does too.

Harvey, big surprise, shuts him down. Mike’s not gonna lie, it stings slightly. But Mike catches Harvey’s small smile when he slides into the car, and he thinks maybe it wasn’t as a definitive ‘no’ as Harvey’s tone implied.

Mike doesn’t bring the whole meals thing up again. They are still reacquainting themselves with each other (and maybe it was too soon to bring up expanding their relationship into new areas). And then they are dealing with Ava’s case and Katrina’s petulant behaviour and Harvey confessing that he’s trying to take down Jessica (what the actual fuck?) and Mike doesn’t really have a chance to think about it anymore.

It’s nearly a month later before the idea reforms in his mind. And it’s not even that today is any different from normal. They are in the middle of a big case (aren’t they always?) and they’ve been working long hours (situation normal) and they’ve been cooped up in Harvey’s office all day (okay, so that one was new, but Mike wasn’t going to point it out for fear of being kicked back to the bullpen) so Mike knows that Harvey hasn’t eaten all day. It’s past eight, Mike is starving, and the contracts are all starting to blur into one another. He chances a glance at Harvey across the office, and he’s still concentrating, but Mike can see his gaze is less focused than it was an hour previous. So Mike decides that maybe he just needs to take the initiative, and doing just that he stands and announces, “Okay, Harvey, let’s go. We’re going to go get some dinner.”

Harvey looks up at him, an expression Mike has seen too many times lining his features. “It’s cute that you think you can tell me what to do,” Harvey grins.

"Come on, Harvey," Mike presses, refusing to back down. "It’s late, we’re both starving, let’s just go get some food and if you really want to we can come back afterwards and keep working."

Harvey looks like he’s about to protest, but Mike has picked up a few things from him over their year together, and he just stares Harvey down until the older man relents, standing from his desk and slipping on his suit jacket as he says, “You better be paying then.”

When they are comfortably seated in the corner booth at a restaurant absolutely nowhere near work, eating pretentious and overpriced but still delicious food, Harvey grinning and gesticulating wildly as he tells Mike about some of the more stranger cases he worked on back in the DA’s office, all Mike can think is that this was totally worth the wait. He soaks it all up, their playful banter, the way Harvey continually holds his gaze, the way his body relaxes like the stress of their jobs is suddenly a million miles away.

They aren’t drunk (it is a weeknight, after all, and they still have to get up and go into work tomorrow not hung-over) but they’ve definitely had enough alcohol that returning to work isn’t really an option. So when they settle the bill (Mike does indeed pay) and hail a cab Harvey opens the door but before he gets in says, “Wanna split?” and Mike, not really thinking, just shrugs and slides into the car after Harvey.

It occurs to Mike once they’re in traffic that they actually live in opposite directions, but in the face of sitting beside Harvey, the line of his body pressed against Mike’s, he’s finding it hard to care. The cab is dark, the only light coming from the lights of the city, and later Mike will think it was the relative safety of darkness that lead to Harvey murmuring, “There’s a reason why we’ve never had dinner together before.”

Mike looks over to see Harvey already looking at him, so close. His mouth suddenly feels very dry. “Yeah?” Mike asks, voice wavering slightly. “Why’s that?”

"Do you remember that first time you asked me to go get lunch, after the Louis thing? Remember me saying we could talk about lunch or dinner or anything else?" At Mike’s nod, he continues with, "That’s why. The _anything else_ is why. Because I knew if we did this, if we got away from the confines of our work relationship, that I’d want more.”

Mike swallows. His heart is pounding in his chest and he wants to just grab Harvey and kiss the life out of him. But he still isn’t sure that that’s what Harvey is talking about, so he asks, “How much more?”

Harvey smiles slowly. His hand tentatively reaches up, touches Mike’s face, and Mike is _gone_. “All of it.”

Mike inches forward, waits for Harvey to do the same, and when he does, when their mouths are millimetres apart, Mike whispers, “So take it,” before pressing their mouths together.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/57780261943/i-cant-find-it-are-you-sure-you-filed-it-in#notes) graphic.

"I can’t find it. Are you sure you filed it in this box?" Mike asks, rummaging through file after file.

Harvey rolls his eyes (which Mike actually doesn’t witness, because he’s, you know, looking through the file box and all that, but he can _feel_ the older man mocking him). “I might not have a genius memory like some people but I’m pretty sure I can remember where I filed the Copland file. Yesterday. In a box marked ‘Copland Case’,” Harvey says, and there it is, the mocking.

Mike doesn’t mind. Hell, Harvey’s perpetual sass is one of his favourite things about him. He grins up at Harvey before suggesting, “Maybe you filed it with the Burrell paperwork?”

It was a leap, admittedly, but the file is definitely not in here, and the Copland suit was an offshoot of the Burrell one, so who knows.

Harvey doesn’t say anything, which in Harvey speak is as good as an admittance, so Mike moves down the stacks to find the Burrell file box.

The file in question is about the third one in, and he pulls it out with a flourish, grinning up at Harvey. Harvey is looking slightly anxious, but Mike doesn’t think anything of it, must subconsciously dismiss it as nerves over the case, and Mike opens the file saying, “So, what was the big emer-“

But he stops mid word, because he has opened the file and there is an envelope inside with Mike’s name handwritten on the stark white paper. It’s Harvey’s handwriting. Mike looks back up to Harvey, both curious and concerned, but Harvey is still wearing that anxious expression. At a loss of what else to do, Mike pulls the envelope from where it’s clipped to the manila folder, opening it up. He pulls out a silver key.

"What’s this?" Mike says, not even caring that it’s obviously a key, but he gets the feeling that it’s so much more than that.

"A key to my place," Harvey says, voice low with nerves.

Mike doesn’t mean to tease, but he can’t help it. Smiling, he says, “So, you called me in a pretend panic about one of our cases so I would come back into work at midnight just so you could hide a key to your condo in a random file box, I assume all for the purpose of asking me to move in with you.”

Harvey looks kinda sheepish now. “Uh … surprise?”

Mike can’t help it. He laughs, stepping into Harvey’s space and kissing him. His wraps an arm around Harvey’s shoulders, presses their bodies in close.

"You suck at romantic gestures, just FYI," Mike says, after they’ve pulled away (but still have their arms wrapped around each other). He kisses him again. "But luckily for you, you have plenty of other redeeming qualities."


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: I don’t know where you’re going but do you have room for one more troubled soul

Sometimes, when Mike thinks about the sheer number of things that had to happen to get him and Harvey into that room together the first day they met, he will cross the lounge or office or bedroom (or whatever space they happen to be in) and kiss Harvey, hard, for reasons Harvey will never question or understand, and then Mike stops thinking about it.

Because if he does think about it, if he starts to marvel at every single detail that had to line up exactly so just to get them into the room together, he will start to panic. What if he had actually said no to Trevor for once? What if Jessica had scheduled Harvey’s interviews in another hotel? What if those cops weren’t so blatantly obvious, sending Mike running to Harvey?

Most of the time he’s okay with it. He figures that it all worked out in the end, because they did end up in the same room together, setting them both down a path that neither could’ve predicted, but that they wouldn’t change for the world.

The only time Mike ever voices his thoughts on the matter is one week before their wedding. There is a problem with the caterer, and Marcus was supposed to be here by now but his flight from London was grounded due to inclement weather, and the photographer has just cancelled because she broke her arm, and Mike’s nerves are frayed. He’s used to negotiating million dollar contracts and defending innocent people against murder charges and yet it’s his wedding falling apart that sends him headlong into his first panic attack in over a decade.

And with his head swimming and chest constricting, he thinks back to that first day, and the weight of the possibility that he could’ve known a life with Harvey is just too much to bear.

Harvey finds him, sitting cross-legged in the centre of their bed. Harvey immediately hastens across the room, crawling across the bed and pulling him into an embrace. Mike’s arms go around him, fingers grabbing handfuls of Harvey’s shirt. Harvey kisses the top of his head before pulling back.

"What is it?" Harvey asks, wiping an errant tear from Mike’s cheek.

"Do you ever think about what would’ve happened had I not walked into your hotel room that day?" Mike asks.

Harvey’s eyebrows narrow at him. “No,” he says, honestly. “Never once. Why?”

"It’s just … sometimes I think about all the things that had to happen for us to meet, and what if just one of them didn’t, what if I didn’t have you, what if we didn’t have this, and I-"

"Mike, listen to me," Harvey says, hands reaching over to slide up and down Mike’s thighs in a soothing motion. "You know me, I’m not one for grand and romantic statements because most of the time they end up being just hollow words. I’m the most realistic, pragmatic man on the planet."

‘“No arguments here,” Mike says with a barely there grin.

"Good, because that means you will believe me when I say that, though I don’t believe there is any such thing as fate or destiny, if there is one thing I do believe in, it’s the inevitability of me and you. We were _meant_ to find each other.”

"How can you be sure?"

Harvey shrugs. “I just am,” he says, like that’s reason enough. “I wouldn’t be surprised if our paths had crossed somehow before we even met. I have no doubt that if you didn’t come crashing into my interview room, that we would’ve met another way. We were meant to be, Mike. So, promise me you won’t worry about the _what if’s_ anymore.”

Mike promises, and he keeps his word.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: but when I crawl into your arms, everything, it comes tumbling down, come sail your ships around me, and burn your bridges down

When Mike finally arrived home, he slammed the door behind him, shrugged off his suit jacket (leaving it in a heap on the floor) before heading to the bedroom and faceplanting on the bed.

He’d only been lying there for a few minutes before his cell rang, the sound muted from it being ensconced in his suit jacket pocked in the other room. He didn’t get up to answer it, because he assumed it was Harvey, and if there was one person he didn’t want to talk to right now, it was him.

Mike had been well aware, since day one, that adding a personal relationship onto their professional one was a risk. What if they didn’t work out? How would they manage to keep both their work and personal relationships separate when the two were so intrinsically intertwined?

What surprised him most of all was how long they lasted until it really became an issue. Knowing how high pressure things were at work, knowing about how both of them (despite Harvey’s protests) had trouble keeping the personal out of their cases, he fully anticipated some kind of collapse of the ‘we keep our work and personal relationships completely separate’ rule within days. They lasted over a month, and Mike had to give them both credit for that.

But it was too good to last. Their current case had been wearing them both down, with one new twist after the other, and it had been long days with little sleep or food and a client who routinely liked to chew Harvey out, which lead to Harvey chewing Mike out.

And Mike had known it was going to suck on absolutely every level, but the reality of it was so much worse than anything he had imagined.

They were so stupid. Of course this was never going to work. Maybe a better man than him could compartmentalise, could separate _Harvey his boss_ from _Harvey his boyfriend_ , but Mike just couldn’t do it. Maybe it was because Harvey had always been so much more than his boss, right from day one, and he just could not work out how to keep everything detached.

An hour later, there was a pounding on the door, and Mike felt like he’d been waiting for it. Part of him (okay, pretty much all of him) wanted to ignore it, but he figured if Harvey had made the effort to come all the way out here the least he could do was answer the door. So he dragged himself off the bed (yes, he’d basically been lying there like a lovelorn teenager for an hour, what of it?) and forced himself to answer.

Harvey had the grace to at least not barge right in, only crossing the threshold when Mike stepped back, opening the door wider in silent invitation.

"What do you want, Harvey?" Mike asked.

Harvey looked at him, like he couldn’t even believe Mike was asking the question. But Mike was just so _tired_ , and he didn’t want to deal with this right now.

"I wanted to see if you were okay," Harvey said gently.

"Not really. My boss has been asshole to me lately, and unfortunately I couldn’t even bitch and moan to my boyfriend about it, because he’s the same person."

Harvey let out a loud breath, slowly stepping forward with a hand out, as if to touch, but before he could get too close Mike stepped back, out of his reach. Harvey’s hand just hovered in mid-air, clearly stunned into stillness, before it dropped back to his side.

"I just don’t know how to do this," Mike said.

Harvey looked anxiously at Mike. “Do what?” he asked tentatively, like it was literally the last question on the planet he wanted an answer to.

"This. Us. I don’t know how to deal with you being my boss and my boyfriend."

"What are you saying? You wanna break up? You wanna quit?" Harvey’s voice was hard, and Mike flinched. "Because if we don’t work though this, those are the only two options."

"I don’t know, okay!?" Mike screamed, turning on his heel and taking a few steps away. "I don’t know. I don’t want to leave you, in any capacity, but I don’t think this is working."

He could hear Harvey approaching. “Mike, once the case is over-“

"What?" Mike scoffed, turning back to face the older man. "Everything will go back to the way it was? What about the next time a case goes bad? What about the next time we both work a hundred hour week and can’t stand the sight of each other? What then?"

"Please," Harvey said, and it was the closest Mike had ever heard him come to begging. "Mike, don’t do this. Don’t leave me. I need you."

Mike felt all the air go from his lungs. He loved Harvey so fucking much, he just didn’t know what to do. He crossed the room, wrapping his arms around the older man. Harvey’s arms instantly wrapped around his waist, and Mike felt the squeeze of his embrace.

"I don’t want to leave you either. I just don’t know what to do."

Mike buried his face into Harvey’s shoulder, and they stood there together, clinging to each other in the middle of Mike’s apartment, for a very long time.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: I’m feeling better ever since you know me, I was a lonely soul but that’s the old me, a little wiser now from what you’ve shown me

Sunday is Harvey’s favourite day.

Because Monday to Friday basically consists of _work, work, work_ , and even though Saturday is technically the weekend, about ninety per cent of the time they are still working on a case, or attending some event, or meeting with a client, and the whole day gets tainted by that. So when he and Mike got together, after two long years of pretending that they both didn’t feel that same connection, they quickly decided that Sunday was _their_ day. There was no work of any kind. And a year later, they’ve yet to break that rule.

Most of the time it’s fairly simple. Sleeping in (Sunday also means no gym). Having slow and warm morning sex. Lounging around the apartment. Reading or watching a movie. Eating bad food. Taking a stroll around the streets of Manhattan or going to an exhibit or doing grocery shopping or anything else they want or need to do. And then ending the day with more fucking. It’s perfect.

This Sunday starts off ordinarily enough. Harvey wakes to Mike lying half on top of him, fingertips trailing lightly over his body. They indulge in a nice, slow fuck, dragging it out for as long as they can stand, just because they have the time. Afterwards, they stumble from bed, throwing on some sweats and tee’s, and grab some breakfast. They eat it lounged on the couch, watching the latest ep of Downton Abbey (which Harvey still does not get the appeal of, but Mike enjoys it, and how could he not indulge the kid?). Once the episode is over, Mike half lies on the couch, reading a book while Harvey gets up, puts on some Sinatra and does a quick tidy of the apartment.

When Harvey returns to the couch, Mike sits back up, giving Harvey room to join him. Harvey does, and Mike smiles, putting his feet in Harvey’s lap. The cool sounds of Sinatra float through the air ( _but don’t change a hair for me, not if you care for me, stay little valentine, stay_ ) and Harvey picks up Mike’s foot and starts massaging it.

Mike puts his book aside, just sits there and smiles at Harvey. Harvey grins back, and it’s quiet and easy and he has no idea that his life is about to change.

"So, I read this book once," Mike says out of nowhere. "It was this alternative universe, all medieval and what not, and the main character married the great love of his life in a ceremony with no words."

"Yeah?" Harvey says, vaguely intrigued but more curious about why Mike is telling him this.

"Yeah, they just sat opposite each other, their friends and family sitting in a circle around them, and they just stared at each other. That was it, they just stared, and after doing that for like an hour or something, they were married."

"Huh," Harvey says. It wasn’t that he didn’t think it was interesting, it was, but still, he was just wondering what relevance it had. He focuses his attention on his hands, presses his thumb into the arch of Mike’s foot, and Mike doesn’t say anything for a few moments.

But then he says, “Hey, Harvey,” and after Harvey looks up at him he smiles nervously and says, “Wanna get married?”

Harvey’s hands freeze. “What?” he says, genuinely stunned.

Mike just grins, extracting his foot from Harvey’s grip, sitting up and edging closer on the couch to Harvey. “You and me, right here and now.”

It’s stupid, how nervous he feels. It’s just Mike being silly, it doesn’t mean anything. And Harvey thinks about making some comment about how if staring was all it took to wed them, they’d have been married the week they met. But instead he just nods, settling himself on the couch, getting more comfortable for what is essentially going to be a staring contest.

Only, once it starts, once they both stop grinning at each other, it doesn’t feel like a game. He looks into Mike’s blue eyes, the same eyes he meets every day, and he knows that there will never come a day when he doesn’t want to meet this man’s gaze. There will never come a day when he doesn’t want to hear Mike’s voice or run his hands through his hair or kiss his lips.

If this is them getting married, Harvey can’t say he minds too much.

He doesn’t know how long they sit there, staring at each other, although he doesn’t think they even made it to twenty minutes, let alone a full hour. But Mike leans forward, and Harvey does too, and when they kiss Mike immediately shifts forward, climbing into his lap.

"So, are we married now?" Harvey asks between kisses.

"Yup," Mike tell him. "But we can go to City Hall and do the paperwork another day."


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: the twenty-something confusion before the suit and tie

Mike’s dry and wrinkled hands shake as they try and beat the silk tie around his neck into submission. He’s sitting in front of the mirror, leaning forward to try and see better despite his thick glasses, but he can’t seem to make it work.

Harvey watches on, torn as always between wanting to help and wanting to give Mike the space to help himself. But when he can see Mike starting to get frustrated, Harvey decides it’s time.

"C’mere," Harvey murmurs.

Mike turns, face blank. He slowly stands and makes his way across the room to Harvey. Harvey’s hands move effortlessly, and Mike’s tie is done in moments.

"Where are we going?" Mike asks, and Harvey’s heart falls.

Harvey knows he should stop being surprised, but he can’t help it. He knows what the doctors said, knows exactly what Mike’s diagnosis means, knows that he himself has lost some mental faculty in his old age. But Mike, his brain was always so amazing, recalling facts he had heard once a decade previous at the drop of a hat. And now, he doesn’t even remember what today is, even though Harvey reminded him a few hours ago.

Harvey crosses the room to the dressing table, picks up Mike’s cufflinks and returns to him, putting them on.

"It’s Elodie’s wedding. You remember Elodie, don’t you?" Harvey asks, so scared that Mike won’t.

Harvey’s focuses on his task, doesn’t look at Mike’s face as he tries to recall who Elodie is. It’s too painful to watch. For so long, Harvey could see the wheels in Mike’s head constantly turning, and now, he’s happy with just a small crawl, anything that shows actual forward movement. It’s happening less and less.

"Callum’s daughter," Mike says, and Harvey looks up at him, grinning. Mike smiles in return. "Our granddaughter is getting married today."

Harvey nods vigorously, trying not to cry. He’s holding Mike’s hands in his, and he brushes his fingertips over the wedding ring Mike wears, a habit he started four decades previous the day they married. He’s looking into Mike’s eyes, and he can see the Mike he fell in love with all those years ago looking back at him. He takes a moment to revel in the moment, because it’s becoming an all too rare occurrence.

"Yeah," Harvey says, and he kisses Mike gently. "Come on," he says, picking up Mike’s jacket from the bed and holding it open for him. "Let’s go. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to go and see the most beautiful bride in the world."


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to [this post](http://melthemagpie.tumblr.com/post/58219707552/speculation) by thatotherperv:
> 
> _if Rachel *does* get into Stanford, it’s going to be logical that she suggests Mike quit his fraudulent career and move there with her. he has no need for the huge salary anymore, no family or even friends holding him in New York…obv, he’d decide not to go (if this were canon - can’t have a show without Mike), and at that point the only reason he’d have to stay is Harvey._
> 
> _*cough*_
> 
> _I mean, I ship Mike and Rachel, actually, but…there are the feelings I have for them and then the feelings I have for the otp of my heart, and as I was following that train of thought to its logical conclusion, I had a little surge of twu wuv._
> 
> _(and now I think someone should write it - free bunny to a good home)_

"I want you to come with me," Rachel grins.

Mike pulls back from her embrace. As if the conflicting emotions of this moment weren’t enough (he’s happy for Rachel achieving her dream, he’s sad to be losing her, he just wants her to be happy) he’s now been blindsided by a possibility he never saw coming.

"What?" he stammers, hoping he just misheard her.

"To Stanford. I want you to come with me to California, Mike," she says, still grinning, and he realises that she’s just expecting him to just say yes.

"I can’t," Mike says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Rachel furrows her brow at him, grin finally slipping. “Why not? It’s not like you have any family or friends keeping you here.”

"I have my job," Mike protests.

"Which isn’t going to last because one day someone will find out the truth about you and we both know it."

"I have Harvey," Mike says, not even thinking.

Rachel just looks at him for a moment, and it’s something like pity. “Mike, he’s your boss, he’s not a reason to stay.”

Mike takes a subconscious step back. He looks at Rachel, beautiful and amazing Rachel whom he loves, and he still says, “He is for me.”


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: I don’t think that I can take this bed getting any colder, Come over, come over, come over, come over, come over

The first sign that something is wrong is when Mike passes out in the middle of a meeting.

Well, okay, that was actually the last sign, because Harvey hadn’t really seen any of the other symptoms because they weren’t visible (fever, chest pain) or Mike dismissed them when Harvey questioned him (the fatigue, the cough). So Harvey tried not to think too much of it, and only realised something was actually wrong when Mike stopped talking mid sentence, like he had forgotten how. Harvey looked up from his position at the table, just in time to see what little colour there was drain from Mike’s face before he collapsed onto the floor.

Harvey doesn’t even remember moving, he’s just suddenly right there next to Mike’s prone figure on the conference room floor, and thankfully Mike comes to mere moments later.

"Harvey? Where am I?" Mike asks, and Harvey feels ice run through his veins.

"Mike, look at me, okay? Take a deep breath."

Mike does, but even Harvey can see it’s shallower than it should be.

"Why am I on the conference room floor?" Mike asks, like he’s more amused than confused by the whole situation, and Harvey feels some relief at Mike realising where he is (but not much). Mike pushes himself into a sitting position, but thankfully doesn’t try and actually stand.

"I’ll go get him some water," Melissa (their client) says, and Harvey nods in gratitude before she slips from the room.

"How are you feeling?" Harvey asks.

Mike seems to think about it for a moment. “Not great,” he admits, like it was the last thing he wants to say.

"I’m calling an ambulance," Harvey says, pulling his cell from his suit pocket.

"No," Mike insists, putting a hand to Harvey’s. "I don’t need an ambulance. I’m fine."

"You’re really not."

"Please, Harvey," Mike says, and Harvey finds it impossible not to acquiesce. But Mike is clearly ill, and Harvey doesn’t know if he doesn’t like hospitals or is worried about the money but he needs medical attention and he needs it now.

"Okay, here are your options. I call Ray and he drives us to the hospital or he drives us to my doctor. Because either way, you will be seeing someone today. Your choice.”

Mike just looks at him with those puppy eyes, but he’s immune to that by now (well, mostly, but that’s a whole different conversation) so he stares Mike down until Mike finally relents with a, “Fine, take me to your doctor.”

Melissa returns with Donna in tow, and she hands him the glass of water which Mike slowly sips. While Melissa sits with Mike, Harvey pulls Donna aside. He tries to convey as much information in as few words as possible (call Ray, call Dr Wilson, reschedule meetings etc), and Donna being Donna takes care of everything.

Harvey helps Mike stand, Mike’s hand gripping onto his, and by the time they slowly make it downstairs to Ray Donna catches up to them, handing over their things and telling Harvey she’s taken care of everything.

The next few hours are a blur of Ray’s car and pacing George’s plush waiting room while Mike is examined and tested. He fields a few calls, from Donna and Jessica, but mostly it’s just waiting.

"How is he?" Harvey asks, when Dr Wilson comes out to see him.

"He has pneumonia," George tells him, straight to the point as always.

Harvey’s eyebrows quirk and he feels like he’s waiting for a punch line to a joke. “Pneumonia,” Harvey repeats, like saying it out loud will help it make sense.

"I’ve prescribed some antibiotics and painkillers for him, and with plenty of rest and fluids he should be fine by the end of the week. I’d like to keep him here for observation tonight, but he’s refusing to stay."

Harvey can’t help but chuckle. “Typical.”

"He can go home, as long as someone’s there to monitor him in case it gets worse. Does he live with anyone or…?"

Harvey shakes his head. “No, nothing like that. I’d try and convince him to stay here, but it’ll never happen. He can come stay with me.”

And so it is that an hour later Mike has finally given up grumbling about not being able to go home and is safely wrapped up in Harvey’s bed, the drugs finally kicking in enough for him to doze off.

Harvey sets up his laptop in the lounge so he’s able to get some work done, and he spends the next few hours doing just that, until it’s time for dinner. He checks on Mike, who is awake and watching the TV mounted to Harvey’s bedroom wall, so he makes them both soup and allows Mike to eat it in his bed. Harvey settles into the chaise, and they watch yesterday’s episodes of The Daily Show and Colbert Report.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Harvey asks, as he takes the empty bowl from Mike when the shows are done.

"Sure."

So Harvey opens up the small DVD cabinet beneath the TV, and as he’s looking through the options, asks, “So are we going to talk about the fact that you were so sick it turned out you had pneumonia and yet you didn’t tell me?”

Honestly he’s expecting some comment about how Harvey wouldn’t care even if he did say something (which wasn’t true, but he knew how Mike thought), but Harvey has chosen a movie (Twelve Angry Men) and put it on and Mike still hasn’t said anything. So he turns to look at the younger man, and Mike just shakes his head, says, “No, not today.”

Figuring the state of his health gave Mike an automatic win on any argument, Harvey returns to his chair and they watch the movie in silence (partly because it’s awesome, but mostly because Mike fell asleep after about twenty minutes). Once the movie is finished, Harvey showers and changes into his seldom used pyjamas, grabs a spare blanket from his walk-in and settles back into his chair.

Mike wakes a few times during the night, and Harvey is always there to give him his medication or some water. Mike doesn’t seem to remember these episodes when he wakes the next morning, just looks at Harvey across the expanse of the bed where he’s curled up in the chair and smiles faintly.

The next day is pretty quiet. Whenever Mike naps Harvey calls Donna and goes through his emails and does anything he can to minimise the workload that will await them upon their return. He feeds and waters Mike every few hours, they watch some truly terrible daytime television, and then to cleanse their brains from the rubbish they just witnessed they watch another DVD.

Mike seems to be a bit brighter today, and Harvey fully resolves to leave Mike alone in his bedroom, to go sleep on the couch. He even puts sheets and blankets and pillows on the couch in anticipation, but then they watch a movie after dinner and when it’s over Harvey is too lazy and comfortable to move, so he falls asleep where he is.

When Harvey wakes the next morning, stretching lazily as he blearily opens his eyes, he can hear laughter from across the room, and he sees Mike awake and watching him, his face some combination of amusement and fondness.

Mike manages to get out of bed and eat breakfast at the table with Harvey. He’s still weak, and he braces himself with a hand to the wall as he walks down the hall, but it still feels like a victory. He asks about their cases, so once Mike is safely installed back in Harvey’s bed, Harvey brings his laptop into the room so they can brainstorm strategies for Melissa’s case. Mike seems livelier than ever, and when they are done and watch a movie Mike manages to stay awake the whole time.

They spend the day essentially alternating between work and movies/television, and Mike hasn’t had a nap all day, so when they watch another movie after dinner Harvey expects him to fall asleep halfway through. He doesn’t, and when Harvey turns off the television once it’s over and bids Mike goodnight before heading out of the room, he doesn’t even get to the door before Mike calls his name.

Harvey turns back and sees Mike pulling back the covers on the empty side of the bed.

Harvey raises an eyebrow in silent question, and Mike doesn’t give him the puppy eyes, instead uses Harvey’s usual tack of staring him down. So, despite the alarm bells sounding in his head, Harvey steps forward, silently sliding into the bed. He reaches over and turns off the lights, so the room is filled with darkness.

After a few moments of silence, Mike earnestly whispers, “Thank you for looking after me, Harvey.”

"I’d say ‘anytime’, but to be honest I’d really like it if you didn’t contract pneumonia again anytime soon."

Mike chuckles. “I’ll do my best.”

"Well, in that case, you’re welcome. Anytime."


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: we’re up all night ‘til the sun, we’re up all night to get some, we’re up all night for good fun, we’re up all night to get lucky

The first time Harvey and Mike spend the night together, it’s work related.

They’ve had difficult cases before, they’ve had looming deadlines and clients that couldn’t wait and late nights cooped up in Harvey’s office. But this is the first time they go to Harvey’s place to keep working. This is the first time they work through the whole night and still not find what they are looking for.

At around six in the morning Mike decides he needs a break. He gets up from the couch, stepping over the piles of paperwork, physically extracts himself from the work area. Harvey heads over to the kitchen, and Mike wanders the room for a few moments, arms stretching above his head as he tries to ease the aches in his tired body. Almost without thinking he ends up out on the balcony, leaning on the railing and looking over the city.

It’s quiet, like it so rarely is in New York. The city is shrouded in a pre-dawn light. It looks beautiful.

Harvey joins him not long later, two steaming cups of coffee in his hand. He offers one to Mike, who takes it with a grateful smile.

They stand there silently, watching the morning sun rise over the wakening city, and Mike feels exhausted but content.

The second time Harvey and Mike spend the night together, it’s by accident.

Harvey’s trying to make a push on their case, but it’s a Friday and Mike is just done. He doesn’t think his brain will be able to handle any more contracts and legalese and brainstorming, that it just might push him over the line he is currently dancing on, all the way over to insanity. Harvey just rolls his eyes. And Mike says that he was looking forward to watching the game, and he would really appreciate Harvey not being a sucky boss and letting him have a Friday night off for once.

Harvey proposes a bargain. They go back to his place and keep working, and once the game starts they can stop working and watch the game. Harvey even promises to feed and water him, and Mike pretends to think about it, and agrees only if they can get cheese in their pizza crust.

(Mike tries not to think about what it says about him that he’s basically agreed to more work with no change to his original plans other than Harvey’s company, or the fact that Harvey clearly realises this and used it to his advantage.)

So they go to Harvey’s and keep working, and then when the game comes on they order pizza and drink some beers and lounge around on the couch, talking about nothing. Mike wakes the next morning, not even remembering falling asleep, and sees Harvey passed out on the other end of the couch.

The third time Harvey and Mike spend the night together, it’s deliberate.

Mike is so tired of this little game they seemed to be playing. He is sick of turning his gaze to Harvey to find the older man had been staring at him (and vice versa). He doesn’t want to pretend like Harvey isn’t the most important person in his life. He can’t keep ignoring how much he wants Harvey.

It’s like some bizarre game of chicken, where they are each waiting for the other to blink, neither wanting to make any move to change the status quo. And Mike completely understands why. He just doesn’t care anymore.

So he asks Harvey out to dinner one night, and before Harvey can even respond Mike adds that just to clarify any confusion it was going to be a date, so to take that into consideration before he answers.

Harvey says yes.

So they meet at the restaurant and have dinner. They talk and laugh and joke. Harvey tries to pay but Mike insists that since he did the asking he’s going to pay, and Harvey relents with a chuckle. Once outside the restaurant they hail a cab, and as it pulls up Harvey kisses him. It’s perfect. The kiss is chaste but lingering, the perfect preview, a tease that gets them both wanting more.

When Harvey asks Mike if he wants to go back to his place, Mike immediately nods, sliding into the cab before Harvey can change his mind. As soon as they give their driver the address Mike kisses Harvey, presses their bodies together in the cramped space. He half expected Harvey to push him away, like making out in the backseat of a cab was beneath him, but he doesn’t. Harvey’s hands press into his body with the same fervour as when his tongue battles Mike’s for dominance.

How they manage to make it upstairs to Harvey’s bedroom without cause for an indecent exposure charge, Mike has no idea. But make it inside they do, at which point it’s all hands and mouths and a feeling of contentment that Mike can’t even put into words.

He finally sees Harvey’s bedroom. Honestly, it’s a bit of a letdown after imagining it for all these years, but then Mike stops thinking about the room as soon as they tumble onto the bed. Mike’s skin flushes wherever Harvey touches him. Secrets are spilled from Harvey’s lips, absorbed straight into Mike’s skin. When that final wave of pleasure finally washes over them both Mike can barely breathe through the intensity, eyes locked on Harvey’s dark and blown pupils, and then he kisses Harvey’s lips briefly as they wait for their hearts to stop racing.

Harvey asks Mike to stay, and Mike never wants to leave.


	51. Chapter 51

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: and no one understands what we went through, it was short, it was sweet, we tried, we tried

Three years.

Three years isn’t bad in the grand scheme of things. If Mike is honest, part of him never expected to make it past six months, let alone three years. Granted, it wasn’t the lifetime he was ideally after, but it was better than the alternative.

Jessica insists on outside council, and Harvey protests, saying no one should handle the case but him. Jessica just looks at him for a moment, and says, “I don’t think you can be objective about this,” and surprisingly it shuts Harvey up.

So Jessica finds someone, and as the three of them wait in her office for Mahoney to arrive, Mike announces, “I’m telling them you had no idea.” He can feel Harvey’s gaze heavy on his face, but he keeps his eyes locked on Jessica. He can’t look at Harvey right now. “I will swear that neither you nor Harvey had any idea about the truth about me.”

"Mike-" Harvey begins, but he stops short when Jessica turns her attention to him.

Jessica returns her gaze to Mike, her voice deliberately level when she says, “Are you sure you want to do that?”

It’s an easy decision to make. Mike doesn’t take lying under oath lightly, and knowing how vehement Harvey’s feelings on the topic are don’t make this any easier. But he’s been lying every day for the last three years, and if his final lie can do some good, can save the two people who have been putting themselves in danger for him, then so be it.

"I’m sure."

Harvey makes a noise of annoyance, and Mike finally looks at him. He’s never seen Harvey look so rattled, not even during the Clifford Danner case, or the time Tanner kept coming after him. He’s overwhelmed with the need to comfort Harvey in some way, to let him know it’s okay, but he doesn’t know how.

"Harvey, if this is going to work, we all need to agree. We either let Mike go down by himself or we all go down with him."

Mike can see Harvey weighing his options, the needs of the many versus the needs of the few, and Harvey’s near compulsive need to protect Mike at all costs. But it’s Mike’s turn now. He has to protect Harvey for once in their lives, and he just stares at Harvey, tries to convey without a word how much he needs Harvey to go along with this.

It’s like they have a whole silent conversation, Mike with his _please, Harvey, please just do this for me, for you_ , and Harvey’s _I can’t give you up, I won’t betray you like that_. Mike finally insists _there’s no other way, and I know deep down you know it - it’s not betrayal, it’s fidelity_.

"Fine," Harvey bites out, unhappy. "I’ll do it."

"Good," Jessica says.

Mike and Harvey are still just looking at each other, and Jessica makes some comment about needing to speak to her assistant before excusing herself from the room, and Mike wonders if she has purposefully left them alone.

"I don’t know how to do this," Harvey says, voice wrecked.

Mike smiles, more brightly than he feels. “Yes, you do.”

"I don’t want to lose you," Harvey softly admits, finally looking away.

And Mike, he can’t help it. He laughs. Harvey looks up, startled, and Mike just reaches over and rests a hand on his forearm. “Harvey, if you haven’t figured out by now that you are never getting rid of me, then I don’t even know what to say.”

Harvey smiles faintly, _finally._

"You’re stuck with me now. Forever."

Harvey sighs, but it’s too exaggerated to be taken seriously. “Well, I suppose there are worse fates to suffer,” he says, in that tone where he’s trying to pretend like he’s completely detached and blasé about the whole thing, but Mike can hear the underlying fondness.

And Mike knows that no matter what happens, they are going to be okay.


	52. Chapter 52

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the lyric prompt: just hold onto me, I’ll hold onto you, it’s you and me up against the world, it’s you and me

He gets the phone call in the middle of a meeting, his phone turned on silent and vibrating a second time when a voicemail is received.

The meeting runs long, with their client seeming to waste Harvey’s time with exceedingly detailed and unnecessarily verbose explanations, just because he can. Mike actually likes this guy, and just to annoy Harvey he asks more questions than he probably should, giving Harvey a shit-eating grin whenever the older man glares at him as Lesley starts in on another topic.

So it’s over an hour later by the time he’s at his desk, and he finally gets around to checking his phone. The notification tells him the missed call and voicemail are from Jenny, and a sense of apprehension floods his stomach as he hits the buttons to listen.

"Hey, Mike," Jenny’s voice is wavering, soft. "I know it’s been a while since we’ve spoken, and that things didn’t end well with you and Trevor. But I thought even after everything that you deserved to know. Mike … Trevor’s dead. He OD’ed a couple of days ago. He…"

But Mike couldn’t hear anything after _Trevor’s dead_ and _he OD’ed_ , the blood pounding in his ears. He doesn’t even listen to the rest of the message, just lets the phone drop from his ear until Jenny’s voice becomes a whisper in the busy bullpen.

His chest hurts, vision starts swimming. He can’t believe it. Trevor. Admittedly things between them hadn’t ended well, but Mike had never imagined this. Trevor was like a fucking cockroach (and wouldn’t Harvey be so proud of him for that analogy) – indestructible and everlasting. And they might not have been friends anymore, but that didn’t erase all those times that Trevor _was_ there for him.

Mike can’t breathe, just needs to get out. He doesn’t even think about it, just gets up and starts walking. He makes it outside into the fresh air, but he doesn’t stop. He keeps walking and walking and walking, his head pounding the whole time.

He finds himself, of all places, in Central Park. The walk wasn’t far but he’s suddenly exhausted, and he collapses onto a park bench right near the Pond. It’s relatively quiet, being in the middle of a Fall weekday, and the sounds of the city fade low as he just sits there.

Trevor’s gone.

It still doesn’t feel real. He can’t wrap his brain around the fact that his childhood best friend, the same person who used to sneak into his bedroom window and help Grammy set the table whenever he stayed long enough to be invited to dinner and get Mike drunk whenever he was unlucky in love, is gone.

Mike’s cell rings, and he doesn’t even look at the screen, just answers on autopilot.

"Hello?"

"Mike?" Harvey’s voice comes down the line.

"Harvey, I-" his voice wavers, and Harvey takes the brief pause as an opening.

"Where are you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you!"

"Harvey, I’m not … he’s gone, Harvey … I - I don’t know … Harvey," he can’t speak, voice sounding broken to his own ears. The only thing he seems capable of saying is Harvey’s name, so he says it again, a blatant plea for help. " _Harvey_.”

"Where are you?" Harvey asks, and it’s the voice he uses when one of the few clients he actually cares about calls for his help. Mike tells him, and Harvey says, "Stay there, Mike. I’m coming."

Mike hangs up the phone, and it’s like his brain stops working, is put on hold, until he sees Harvey, much quicker than he anticipated. Harvey’s coat flaps around his legs as he walks towards Mike, and Mike can see the concern on Harvey’s face shining like a beacon.

He can’t help it. Mike stands from the bench, meeting Harvey half way and throwing his arms around him, burying his face in his neck and hugging him tight, needing to feel him safe and secure.

Mike knows that they are friends (and that even though Harvey will never say it out loud, Harvey knows they’re friends too) but they aren’t really this tactile. Mike figures that’s the reason for Harvey’s initial stillness, but he gets over it soon enough, wrapping his arms around Mike, rubbing his hand up and down his back in soothing motions.

"What happened?" Harvey asks.

Mike takes one last breath before he steps out of Harvey’s embrace. “I really need you to be my friend for this Harvey, not the hard-ass you were when we first met.”

"I was not a-" Harvey begins to protest, but stops mid-sentence at Mike’s glare, and then adds a drawled, "Fine," which Mike knows means that Harvey get’s exactly where he’s coming from.

Mike heads back to the bench to sit down, and Harvey follows. Harvey just looks expectantly at him, and his completely open expression gives Mike the strength to say, “Trevor’s dead. He’s gone.”

He can tell he’s shocked Harvey with this news, and it’s vaguely comforting.

"Well," Harvey says at last, "I guess that explains why you just disappeared from the office."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Mike says earnestly. "I just needed to get some fresh air."

"Fair enough. I’m all in favour of this if the alternative is you staying and then picking a fight with me in front of the bullpen. Also, I’m not getting high with you this time," Harvey adds, and it draws a brief smile from Mike.

Mike thinks about making a comment about how Harvey was the one picking the fight last time, and that he did it for Mike’s benefit, but decides it’s best to not go down that road. “You don’t have to. I’m just glad you’re here.”

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harvey asks, and just the fact that he is willing to talk about the person he saw as an anchor constantly pulling Mike down (and that’s when Harvey’s being generous), it’s more than enough for Mike.

"Not really," Mike tells him. Because what is there to say? That Trevor was a good friend when he wanted to be, but the problem was always that he never really cared about being there for Mike, just wanted Mike there for him. That Trevor wasn’t a great guy, and Mike has certainly been better off without him, but Trevor did bring him and Harvey together, and for that alone Mike will grieve his loss.

So they just sit there together, side by side on the park bench, and they spend the next few hours watching the world go by.


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday gift for the fabulous starskeeper.

Mike knows something is wrong when he wakes to a text from Harvey that states _meet me at Penn Stattion in an hour._

There are dozens of possible reasons for the message, but Mike just knows, can feel it deep inside somewhere, that something is wrong. As such, he’s instantly out of bed and throwing on the first suit he can find.

Mike gets there first, and the minutes drag by at a snail’s pace as he scans the busy terminal for any sign of his boss. The nerves increase exponentially as time passes, and it should be a relief to see Harvey at last, his face just one of the crowd as he heads towards Mike. But it’s not, because the closer Harvey gets the more clearly Mike can see that he was right, something’s wrong, because Harvey looks pale and fatigued and he’s carrying an overnight bag that knocks against his leg when he walks.

"Are you okay?" Mike asks as soon as Harvey reaches him. No greetings or preliminaries, no asking if something is wrong. Because Mike just knows that something is, and he doesn’t want to waste any time before he finds out how Harvey is, how he can help.

Still, he’s expecting some kind of dismissal, for Harvey to brush him off like he always does, for Harvey to keep up his facade like normal. So it surprises Mike when Harvey shakes his head, looking away, like it’s hard for Harvey to even focus on him.

"What happened?"

Harvey swallows thickly. “Marcus, he was in an accident. It’s not looking good.”

_Fuck_ , Mike thinks, exhaling deeply. He knows exactly how it feels to lose the last member of your family. He doesn’t want that for Harvey.

"You’re going to Albany," Mike says, not a question, but Harvey nods anyway. And Mike doesn’t even think about it, just blurts, "I’m going with you."

Harvey looks surprised by the offer, like it had never even occurred to him that Mike would even suggest such a thing. There is a hint of a smile, but it doesn’t last long. “No,” Harvey says, shaking his head. “I need you here. You need to take the deposition today.”

Mike wants to protest, despite the flush of exhilaration he gets that Harvey entrusts Mike to trap their opponent in his absence when he just as easily could’ve got another partner to do it for him. He wants to say that he doesn’t care about their case; he just wants to be there for Harvey, like Harvey is always there for him.

"Please, Mike," Harvey says, pre-emptively cutting off his protest, and Mike thinks that that’s the first time he’s ever heard Harvey say that to him (at least, in a way that Mike knows he means it). "I need you to take care of this for me so I don’t have to worry about it."

"Okay," Mike says, reaching over and briefly gripping his arm. "Okay."

Harvey nods, and starts walking to the platforms. It’s the same direction as the exit, so Mike walks with him for a bit.

"Let me know…" Mike trails off, unsure how to finish the sentence ( _when you get there, what happens, how your brother is…_ ).

But Harvey smiles grimly, says, “I will,” and then he’s disappearing into the crowd.

So Mike goes into the office, and he fucking dominates, because that’s what Harvey needs him to do. He spends the day working from Harvey’s office, and he and Donna share commiserating looks whenever their gazes meet.

Once the day’s obligations are met, he knows what he needs to do. He packs up his things and heads over to Donna, who, before he can even open his mouth, simply hands over a few folded pieces of paper. Opening it up he sees a ticket confirmation for a train ride to Albany and the name, location, and room number of a hospital.

He looks up at Donna, simultaneously touched and relieved. “Thank you,” he breathes sincerely.

"Give him a hug for me," Donna says, and Mike chuckles, nodding.

It’s late by the time he arrives at the hospital, the hallways dim and empty. He’s probably not supposed to be here outside of visiting hours, but if there’s one thing he’s learnt from his time as a fake lawyer it’s if you act like you belong, people will think that you do.

He eventually finds the room, taking a deep breath before slowly opening the door. The room is bright and stark, and he can see a prone figure covered with blankets and wires, and the slumped form of Harvey in a chair next to the bed. Harvey looks up, unable to hide his surprise at Mike’s appearance. But Mike knows Harvey now, and he can tell it’s definitely a pleased surprised.

"You didn’t have to come," Harvey says, voice low and hoarse, as Mike moves into the room.

"I know." Because he didn’t have to, he _wanted_ to.

There’s a chair in the corner, and Mike grabs it, carrying it across the space and placing it next to Harvey’s. He collapses into the chair, and Harvey returns his attention back to Marcus, elbows digging into his knees and chin resting on clasped hands. They just sit there together for a few moments, the room silent but for the whooshing and whirring of the machines keeping Marcus alive.

"Thank you," Harvey says, minutes or hours later.

Mike doesn’t say anything, just reaches over, rests a hand on the flat of Harvey’s back. It’s not much, not in the grand scheme of things, not against the weight Harvey must be feeling as his world seemingly crumbles around him. But he doesn’t move away, won’t stop offering what little comfort he can until Harvey asks him to.

Harvey never says a word, and Mike doesn’t let go, even as the hours pass and dawn’s light starts filtering through the window.


	54. Chapter 54

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/60169173765/what-you-have-to-understand-is-that-it-took-harvey#notes) graphic.

What you have to understand is that it took Harvey so long to realise his own feelings because they didn’t match any of his bases for comparison.

This is nothing like his teenage years, with that obvious flush of attraction, intense and all consuming before the inevitable and quite often sudden crash. It’s not like with Scotty, where antagonism was requisite and competition was foreplay. It’s the complete opposite from what happened with Donna, where flirting was like a game they played, each trying to one up and outlast the other, until it was taken to its natural conclusion, to the regret of both parties. There is nothing about this that is similar to what happened with Joseph, which had the thrill of the illicit but still somehow felt completely wrong.

What he feels for Mike is nothing like that.

Despite the fact that he’s a former gunslinger for the DA’s office turned corporate hotshot attorney who has actively avoided anything to do with real emotions, he’s heard a surprising amount about love over the years. So many boring cliché’s that didn’t endear him in any way to want to experience it for himself.

_Love is letting go. Love is blindness. Love is a drug. Love is insanity._

Yet another reason why he didn’t recognise his feelings for Mike for what they were. Because none of those statements applied.

Love is letting go, but the idea of severing any kind of connection or having any significant distance between them retches at his insides. He always wants Mike there, by his side, even when Harvey himself sends him away, whether for Mike’s own good or because he’s feeling angry or betrayed. He will always go after Mike, will always forgive him, will never want to let Mike go.

Love is blindness, but he’s known exactly who Mike is since the day they met. He might try and groom him slightly, might try and help him grow, but that’s for Mike’s benefit, not his. And though he would never say it to the younger man, if Mike rejected all his instructions then Harvey would be fine with it. He didn’t _need_ Mike to change in any way, Mike was great the way he was, faults and eccentricities and all.

Love is a drug, but his feelings aren’t desperate or addictive. He doesn’t need Mike like a hit of drugs, doesn’t feel frantic or in withdrawal when Mike’s not around. Being with Mike isn’t like being high. Mike makes him feel grounded and present in a way no one else has.

Love is insanity, but he never feels more calm or rational or _sane_ than when he is with Mike.

Harvey didn’t realise what this was, because it wasn’t what he expected. It didn’t live up to any of his expectations or match up with past experiences. It takes him so long to realise what he feels is that small but powerful word, and he only accepts it because it literally does not make sense for it to be anything else.

But he realises it now. There is a _clarity_ that he has with Mike, always has, and he doesn’t know why today is so special, that he’s now able to see what was always there and understand it for what it actually is. But it suddenly all makes sense, and he should probably care that it’s past midnight but he really doesn’t, knocking on Mike’s apartment door anyway.

He waits patiently, can hear the shuffle and click of the door being unlocked, and then Mike’s there, gaze unfocused as he looks at Harvey in surprise, in concern. But Harvey can’t say anything, doesn’t know how to tell Mike the truth. In fact, he has no idea what he is even doing here, and seriously considers just turning and leaving without a word.

But then Mike straightens as he keeps his eyes locked with Harvey’s. An expression Harvey’s never seen before comes over Mike’s face, and it’s something like relief.

"You know," Mike says on a deep exhale.

Harvey can’t help it, lips quirking up into a smile as he takes a small step forward. “I know.”


	55. Chapter 55

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/60353645361/mike-knows-he-should-stop-feeling-surprised#notes) gifset.

Mike knows he should stop feeling surprised whenever he opens his door to find Harvey on the other side. But then Harvey walks in before Mike can ever utter so much as a greeting, and Mike knows that no matter how often it happens, it will _always_ be a surprise.

"You know, most normal people wait to be invited in," Mike teases, closing the door and watching Harvey cross the room and open his fridge, pulling out a couple of beers.

Harvey remains silent as he opens the kitchen drawer which is mostly full of junk but also houses a bottle opener. He opens the bottles with ease, handing one to Mike with a smile that Mike can’t help but notice doesn’t entirely reach his eyes. “When have you ever known me to exhibit the same characteristics as ‘normal people’?”

Mike taps his bottle against Harvey’s at that, because it seems like an appropriate thing to toast to, and they both take a swig. Once done, Harvey puts his bottle on the rickety table so he can shed his tie and jacket.

Right, so Harvey’s staying then. It’s going to be one of those nights.

"What are you doing here?" Mike asks, because that’s tradition now. It started because he was genuinely curious whenever Harvey just randomly showed up, and he asked half in shock and half in wonder. Now he just asks because Harvey gives him a completely facetious and different answer every time, and he enjoys hearing whatever Harvey comes up with.

"What, a senior partner can’t visit his favourite associate?" Harvey grins, and this time it spreads over his whole face.

Mike makes a scoffing noise. “Please, I’m your _only_ associate.”

"Lucky for you then, I’m not sure you could handle any competition."

Harvey collapses onto the couch, beer in hand, and Mike joins him, stretching his feet out and putting them on the coffee table, feet crossed at the ankle.

"Food?" Mike asks, even though it’s probably too late for anything substantial. Harvey shakes his head, so Mike tries again. "Movie?"

Harvey nods, so Mike gets up and puts on Rear Window, because they’ve been making their way through the Hitchcock back catalogue.

They watch the film in the sense that it plays in the background and they give it their occasional attention between talking about random topics. It’s during one such lull where Mike considers, really for the first time, asking a question that’s been on the tip of his tongue for months. He shouldn’t ask. He shouldn’t ask because Harvey won’t answer. He shouldn’t ask because the reason this has probably lasted as long as it has is because they both studiously _don’t_ talk about it. He shouldn’t ask, but he’s knows he’s going to anyway.

"Can I ask you something?" Mike tries to keep his voice calm, tone detached so as not to spook the older man.

"Could I stop you?" Harvey asks, with something like a smile, but that isn’t a no, so Mike takes the opening as it’s presented.

"Why do you really come here?"

Because Harvey has been showing up on his doorstep, unannounced and uninvited and for completely non work related reasons, about once a week for the last couple of months. Mike’s never questioned it before, mainly because he was too busy enjoying being with Harvey outside of work to actually care about the why of it all. But he suddenly just wants to know the truth, not the bullshit excuses he comes up with just to make Mike laugh.

Harvey takes a deep breath, finally turns his attention away from the TV and faces Mike. “Do you like my condo?”

Okay, so not at all the answer he was expecting (call Mike crazy, but he was anticipating an actual answer, not a question). But he knows this wasn’t just some random change of topic, so Mike answers with a nod. “Of course. It’s large, bright, has killer views. It’s high spec and expensive. What’s not to like?”

Harvey smiles sadly.” Exactly. It’s textbook, the kind of place everyone in the city wants, the kind of place someone like me is _expected_ to have. But it’s too big, too empty.”

Mike gets it. Harvey won’t say it, but Mike gets it anyway, because of course he does, that’s just how they work. Harvey says the bare minimum, just enough for Mike to pick up the pieces and put them together in the exact way Harvey means.

Mike’s apartment feels like a home.

There doesn’t seem to be much to say after that. Harvey turns his attention back to the movie, and Mike won’t hurt him by pushing the topic further than he’s comfortable with. It’s enough for Mike, to be able to give this to Harvey, and he won’t ruin it by telling Harvey the truth: that having Harvey here makes Mike happy, that Mike is home whenever he’s with Harvey.

When the movie’s over Harvey says that he should probably get going, shifting forward in the seat in readiness to stand and leave, but without even thinking about it Mike reaches over, fingers wrapping easily around his arm. When Harvey turns back to look at him he looks nervous, so Mike drops his hand.

"You can stay, if you want."

Mike doesn’t even think about the logistics, that he’s basically saying to Harvey _you can crash on my couch or in my bed with me_ , like those are better options than going home to his no doubt king sized bed and imported million-thread count bedsheets. He just wants Harvey to know that he has a home here too, that he’s welcome to stay, that Mike wants him around.

Harvey looks at him, seemingly weighing his options, and Mike keeps his gaze, lets him know that he’s serious, won’t look away because he doesn’t want Harvey thinking he’s unsure and using that as his excuse to say no. If he doesn’t want to stay then that’s fine, but it won’t be because Harvey thinks it wasn’t a serious offer.

And then Harvey smiles softly and says, “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, last post. In future I will endeavour to update more regularly so you're not hit with like thirty chapters at once LOL.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it. Inspired by [this photo](http://suitsislife.tumblr.com/post/62160671692/and-now-because-of-our-dear-sarahgrafferty-the).

"Hey Harvey, look at this," Mike says, shifting closer on the couch and showing Harvey his phone.

Harvey just looks at it for a moment before turning to Mike and drawling, “Really?”

"What? Come on, it’s awesome."

Harvey looks back at the screen. Mike has clearly downloaded some kind of countdown app, and the screen is bright with pastel colours and thick black writing which announces  **142 days until Fuzzy is born**.

Harvey will never forget what it was like when he and Mike went with Siobhan to her first ultrasound, the nerves and excitement constantly ricocheting around his body. The doctor did her tests and pronounced everything was moving along nicely and then Harvey saw it, the grainy black and white image, the first time he laid eyes on their child. Harvey laced his fingers with Mike’s as the sound of their baby’s heartbeat filled the room and Harvey had never felt more overwhelmed. He remembers Mike’s watery smile and Siobhan’s wide grin and feeling like it was finally real.

The doctor managed to take a few decent pictures, and even though there wasn’t much to see, not really, Mike still insisted on showing them to everyone they knew. Donna was the first person to see them, of course, and Mike had held them out and said, “Donna, come see Fuzzy.”

"Fuzzy?" Harvey asked.

"Fuzzy," Mike nodded. "We’re not finding out the sex, and I refuse to refer to our baby as ‘it’. And I mean, look at that photo, Harvey. Fuzzy."

Harvey would never admit that he thought it was cute, naming their baby before he or she was even born, or that it did actually make a modicum of sense. And in the end, he didn’t need to. He’d told Mike it was silly, but then when, the next day, he found himself talking about Fuzzy, Mike just beamed in a simultaneously proud and smug way.

"You know we don’t actually know Fuzzy will be born in a hundred and forty two days. In fact, babies are almost never born on their due date," Harvey points out.

Mike’s face falls slightly. “I know, but … I’m excited, and I wanted to have a countdown to the birth.”

Harvey feels like an asshole. He didn’t mean it like that, in no way wants to rain on Mike’s parade. Because the thing about Mike is he’s so unabashed in his enthusiasm. He’s been that way since the day they met, and it’s a talent Harvey envies. Harvey doesn’t know how to be that open, that bold, and it’s one of the things he loves most about his husband.

So he kisses Mike, an  _I’m sorry_  and  _I love you_  and  _I’m so excited_  all rolled into one. Mike kisses back, and when they break apart, he appears brighter.

"Here," Harvey says, pulling his cell from this pocket and handing it over. "Can you add the countdown to my phone too?"


	57. let me fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a birthday present for my dear littlegirltree.

Looking back Mike will wonder how he never saw it coming, how he missed the signs that were there, plain as day to anyone as intelligent as he claimed to be. Maybe it was denial as a defence mechanism, because if you can’t see it then you don’t have to deal with it.

But his little bubble of ignorance is spectacularly burst one random Thursday morning. Mike is proofing briefs for Ian Hughes, the newest Senior Partner. Technically he should be doing Harvey’s work, but Mike likes Ian and the guy was having a hard time adjusting, and Harvey kicked him out of his office this morning when Mike tried to offer him help on his current case, so…

It doesn’t take too long to get through the proofing, and when done he drops them off to Ian, lingering to chat for a few minutes before heading back to his cubicle and continuing with Harvey’s work. An hour or so later he’s done, so he heads up to Harvey’s office to drop the files off. Only as he approaches he hears the unmistakable sound of Harvey yelling, even though the noise is muted slightly through the glass of his office. He throws an inquisitive look at Donna as he approaches and she, for some weird reason, looks embarrassed.

Curiosity slightly piqued, Mike approaches the office. He’s shocked to discover the person Harvey is fighting with is Ian. He halts outside the office door and they are so involved in their argument they don’t even see him, too busy staring daggers and throwing harsh words.

Words that Mike can now make out. And it quickly becomes apparent what the topic of conversation is. It’s Mike. It’s Mike doing work for Ian instead of Harvey. But there’s something about Harvey’s face, his stance, the words he’s spewing that makes Mike think it’s really not about that at all. Because Mike doing work for other partners is by no means unprecedented and now Harvey is talking about seeing them talking in the kitchen and in Ian’s office and Mike’s heart rate speeds up at an alarming rate.

Mike glances back to Donna, who is already looking at him, slightly apologetic and completely resigned. It’s this more than anything else that makes Mike think there’s something else going on here. He listens to them arguing for a few more minutes. And then he can hear, clear as a bell, Harvey’s decisive voice declaring, “Mike is _mine_. Always has been and always will be.”

Something white and hot comes over Mike, something he revolts against as the words roll around his mind. Suddenly angry, he just strides right into the office without knocking. Harvey and Ian turn at his entrance, and Harvey looks, well, Mike doesn’t even know. He looks scared and cornered and embarrassed and something else Mike can’t quite pinpoint. But at this moment, he honestly doesn’t care. Mike just walks into the office, puts the folders on Harvey’s desk, then turns and walks back out, silent the whole time.

When he gets back to his desk he isn’t even thinking, just acting on auto-pilot, self-preservation instincts kicking into overdrive. He picks up his bag and, without a word to anyone, leaves the building and heads home.

Mike honestly isn’t sure if Harvey will immediately follow or just leave him alone and pretend the whole thing never happened. Mike collapses on his couch and sits there stewing, still in his suit, for a good hour, and Harvey never shows.

The thing is, Mike has zero interest in being owned or possessed by Harvey. Not really. But he can’t deny that small flutter, the way his breath hitches and his stomach swoops whenever he replays the words in his mind. There’s a part of him, an  _infinitesimal_  part, that is intrigued by the idea. Because he trusts Harvey more than anyone on this planet, and with the way his brain works, nonstop twenty-four/seven, always absorbing and thinking and calculating, the idea of being able to surrender, of just letting go and not thinking or fighting, has appeal. The whole concept of just being able to let someone take care of him, completely, when he’s never really had anything like it…

But no, at the end of the day, Mike isn’t interested in that possessive bullshit. He’s not just another shiny thing for Harvey to claim and show off, he’s not going to be an object Harvey displays like his records and basketballs.

However, Mike can’t deny that the incident has opened his eyes to just how much and in how many ways he wants his boss. He should’ve figured it out earlier, because the signs were definitely there. But the denial was stronger, only Harvey’s words have taken that option away, and now he’s left with the coldness of reality.

And bizarrely, all he can do is sit there, exhausted and overwhelmed, and think: _how the fuck is this my life?_

It wasn’t what he wanted or intended. When he met Harvey and begged him to hire him he never intended to fall in … whatever this was with the man. He just wanted a chance, a new life. Which he got, but now, he’s too tired to even care.

It shouldn’t be a surprise when Harvey knocks on the door - and Mike knows it’s him before he even gets up and crosses the room to answer, because no one else does that open palm knocking but him - but it is. He genuinely considers pretending he’s not at home but, in a move that surprises exactly no one, he gets up and answers, door wide in a silent invitation to enter.

Harvey looks sad, apologetic, uncomfortable, all emotions Mike isn’t used to seeing on Harvey’s stupidly handsome face. And he really must be far gone, because he has to remind himself that he’s pissed at Harvey instead of going into concerned mode like he wants to.

"I’m sorry, Mike," Harvey says. No preamble, no build up, no context. Just a simple apology. And it’s the simplicity that shows Mike that he means it. He isn’t hiding the words because he doesn’t want to say them. It’s bold, and it’s real.

Mike plans to ask if he meant what he told Ian. He intends to tell Harvey just how not okay what he said was. But instead what he says is, “That wasn’t just about me doing his work. It was personal.”

He meant to frame it as a question. It  _should_  be a question. There’s no reason to assume anything at this point. And yet, there Mike is, jumping in with both feet come hell or high water. Because this is Harvey’s fault. He’s the one who opened these doors and he can’t blame Mike for walking through them.

Harvey just looks at him, and Mike gets the distinct impression he’s weighing his words. So it’s surprising on multiple levels when Harvey replies, “Yes, it was.”

Again, there’s Harvey, right to the point. He isn’t trying to explain or justify, isn’t trying to deny or distract. It’s honest. And despite how they got to this point, Mike can’t deny that he likes Harvey best like this.

Never one to not strike while the iron is hot, Mike says (not asks), “You want me.”

"I do."

Mike takes a small step closer. “How do you want me?”

"In every way you’ll let me."

It’s surprisingly easy, changing his life forever, just a step and a breath and a kiss and his life is never the same. He thinks it should come with more pomp and circumstance, maybe some fireworks or orchestral music, but no, it’s just this, their mouths moving slowly and his heart beating quickly and his mind racing, always racing, but maybe at a slightly slower pace than normal.

Maybe Harvey  _can_  help with that after all.


	58. Chapter 58

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it. Inspired by [this photo](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/64428130882/harvey-remembers-the-first-time-they-bought-emmett#notes).

Harvey remembers the first time they bought Emmett here like it was yesterday.

It was the first week of July, and they’d taken a week’s vacation and happily escaped the city. The air was dry, the temperature sweltering. It’d taken the better part of the morning to drive up, the wonders of air-conditioning keeping the car cool so thankfully Emmett slept half of the drive.

Once they’d arrived Mike didn’t even bother unpacking the car before he had carefully pulled Emmett from his baby seat, cradling him in his arms and heading over to the lake. He’d stood at the lake’s edge for a moment, talking in whispers to their son, before calling Harvey over. Harvey dutifully went, and Mike handed Emmett over before he started removing his clothes, right there for anyone to see, stripping down to his boxers. Harvey didn’t even need to ask what Mike was thinking, because the younger man just grinned at him, stripping Emmett down too before taking him back from Harvey and cradling him securely against his chest as he slowly walked into the lake.

Emmett had startled, despite the warmth of the water, but it soon turned into laughter as he and Mike floated together in the water. Harvey had just stood there, watching, the warmth in his body having nothing to do with the summer sun and everything to do with these two people he loved more than anything. He pulled his cell from his pocket and snapped a few photos (one of which later became his phone background) before stripping and joining his family. Emmett splashed and floated and giggled, clearly enjoying the lake much more than he did his bath time, and Harvey remembers kissing Mike’s wet skin, feeling content.

That was four years ago now.

The first time they came to the lakehouse was a few months before Emmett was born. Mike wanted one last vacation before their lives changed forever, and it was just a random house he found while surfing airbnb. But the house was perfect, the location amazing, and they’ve kept coming back. They’ve come back here once a year, if not more, ever since. Then two years ago the house went up for sale and they didn’t hesitate, buying it as a second home, a place they could escape the madness of the city and work and just be together as a family.

They didn’t make it out for summer this year. Harvey was hit with one of the worst cases he’d ever had, and he just couldn’t get away. He’d felt awful about it, but Mike understood, and Harvey tried to have at least one work free day a week to make up for it. They won, so at least all the hard work and long hours paid off, and as soon as the case was wrapped Harvey told Jessica he was taking a fortnight off (literally: the client hadn’t even exited the courtroom before Harvey turned to Jessica and told her he was going).

So now it’s nearly winter, but it’s still beautiful here, and not being the height of summer has its benefits, like the fact that most of the houses the scatter the lake’s edge are deserted, leaving the area quiet and peaceful. It takes a few trips from the car to the house to get everything sorted, and Emmett doesn’t help, running around their feet, a bundle of excitement wrapped up in shaggy blond hair, green eyes, jeans and a striped sweater.

"Can we go now, Dad? Please, please, please." Emmett looks up at Harvey, doing his best puppy eyes, an expression that perfectly mirrors the one he’s seen far too often on his husband’s face.

"If Daddy’s ready then yes, we can go."

Emmett scampers off in search of Mike, calling his name down the hallway. Harvey chuckles as he hears the muted buzz of Emmett and Mike talking, and it doesn’t take long for Emmett to come back, beaming at Harvey, Mike trailing behind.

"Let’s go, Dad," Emmett says, barrelling past him to the front door. Mike kisses his lips when he reaches Harvey, and Harvey grabs his keys and phone and follows them outside.

Emmett loves the lake. He loves swimming in it, playing beside it, sitting on the bank and watching the people swim or little boats go past. It’s too cold to go in the water, but that doesn’t stop him from trying, Mike just grabbing him in time before he makes it to the water.

They walk around the water’s edge, Emmett pointing out the trees and birds and houses, anything he can see that catches his interest. The area hasn’t changed at all since the last time they were here, but Emmett looks at it all like it’s brand new.

After about half an hour Emmett tugs on Mike’s hand and says, “Daddy, can I have a shoulder ride?”

"Is that  _really_  necessary, Em?” Mike asks, but their son has a puppy face to equal no other, so it’s a surprise to exactly no one when Mike caves. Harvey helps Emmett onto Mike’s shoulders, and it’s worth it when Emmett exclaims, “Wow, I can see  _everything_  from up here.”

Harvey and Mike can’t help but share a smile. They keep meandering along the lake, but soon reach the part where the embankment rises, so they walk up it, following the path from higher ground. They reach a dock, and Emmett points to it, wanting to go see. Mike leads the way, and they stand a safe distance from the edge while Emmett takes it all in with wide eyes.

"Can we go for a swim?" Emmett asks Harvey.

"Sorry, baby, the water’s too cold," Harvey tells him. Emmett frowns, and Harvey finds himself adding, "But maybe we can take a boat out later."

Emmett grins at him, and when he turns his attention to Mike it’s to find his husband grinning at him. “Sucker,” Mike says, laughing.

"Says the guy with a five year old on his shoulders," Harvey returns, and Mike just keeps chuckling, because really, when it comes to Emmett, they’re both as bad as each other. That’s not to say they don’t give him rules and discipline, because they do, and he’s a smart and polite and inquisitive boy as a result. But he is their son, and deserves to be indulged once in a while (okay, maybe slightly more than that).

Harvey presses a kiss to Mike’s lips, heading back to land. Mike and Emmett remain where they are for a few more minutes, chatting happily, and once Harvey is in the right spot he pulls out his cell and takes a photo of them.

He needed to update his phone background anyway.


	59. Chapter 59

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it.

It’s a rare occurrence, but today Mike is woken not by Emmett’s cries, but by Harvey moving around their bedroom. He doesn’t have that immediate ‘asleep to awake in zero point four seconds’ he gets whenever he wakes up to Emmett crying, but instead wakes at a damn near leisurely pace, eyes slowly blinking open and brain gradually becoming coherent.

"What time is it?" Mike mumbles to the Harvey shaped figure standing by the bed, tying his tie.

"Just after six," Harvey says softly. He leans over and kisses Mike. "Emmett’s still asleep. You can go back to sleep, Mike."

So Mike does.

Emmett, rather generously, allows Mike another half an hour of rest before he decides he’s ready for the day to start. So with only a minor grumble, Mike heads down the hall to Emmett’s bedroom, and when Mike picks Emmett up and cradles him to his chest, Emmett immediately quiets, burying himself into Mike’s embrace. Mike smiles. It never gets old, the warmth and love he feels when he’s with their son, and he presses a lingering kiss to the top of his fluffy head before heading out to the lounge.

The morning idles by normally enough, and Mike decides that as a treat for Emmett sleeping in so long, they are gonna go on a little field trip. It was really more for himself than Emmett, because they’ve been home all week, and Harvey has been working increasingly long hours as a trial date approaches, and Mike’s been going a little stir crazy.

So, of course his first call is to Donna.

"So how is my gorgeous Emmett doing this morning?" Donna says when she answers. Mike knows the office phones have caller ID, but he’s convinced even without it she would somehow know whenever it was he was calling before picking up. She’s just that good.

"I hesitate to use the word perfect, because I feel like that’s simultaneously showing off and just asking for trouble, but he’s-"

"Perfect. Of course he is."

Mike can practically see Donna’s warm smile, and it’s reflected on his own face.

"Is Harvey there?"

"Yeah. Want me to put you through?"

"No, just, is he going to be around today or…?"

There is no mistaking the grin in Donna’s voice this time. “Between twelve and one would be best.”

"You’re the best."

"True."

Mike laughs, before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone.

"Alright, little man," Mike says to Emmett, who is currently sitting in the lounge and playing with a plush Eeyore. "What do you say we go visit Dad?"

Emmett makes an unmistakable happy noise, waving his arms excitedly.

"Thought so."

So Mike picks Emmett from the floor and takes him to his bedroom to get dressed (yes, it’s mid-morning and they are both still in their pajama’s, what of it?). He lets Emmett crawl around while he goes to the closet and decides what to put Emmett in. There’s a small piece of fabric hanging from a hanger in the corner, and he looks at it for a long moment, considering. The opportunity is too good to pass up, so he grabs the striped material, and then pulls a few more items from the closet and drawers until he has an entire outfit ready to go.

Dressing Emmett has become a bit of a battle now that he can move around more, but Mike manages to get him clothed and ready to go in a relatively good time. Afterwards, he showers, dresses in jeans and a t-shirt, then packs Emmett’s bag before they both head out the door.

Mike hasn’t been back to Pearson Hardman too often since Emmett was born, and it’s always a bit strange coming back now. He has absolutely no doubt that it was the right decision, and he doesn’t regret leaving to take care of their son at all. But it really is like stepping into a foreign environment now. There are so many people he doesn’t recognize, and this isn’t his life anymore. But it’s where he began the only part of his life that’s really mattered. It’s where he met Harvey. It’s where they fell in love. It’s where they were when they found out Siobhan had gone into labor, Harvey and Mike only just making it to the hospital before Emmett was born. Sure, sometimes he misses being a lawyer, but giving that up was more than worth it for Emmett.

He gets a few stares as he moves through the hallways, pushing a black and red stroller, like it’s the weirdest thing people have seen within these walls, but he honestly doesn’t care. Emmett is sitting up, wide eyed and wondrous, taking everything in. He’s bobbing up and down with excitement, and if anyone ever had any doubt that Emmett was Harvey and Mike’s son, that right there would quash it. Emmett isn’t even a year old yet, but he and Harvey a raising a future lawyer, Mike just knows it.

When he can see Donna sitting at her desk at the other end of the hallway, Mike lifts Emmett out of the stroller, placing him securely on his hip and pushing the stroller with one hand the rest of the way (it’s one of his many acquired skills). When he gets to her desk he leaves the stroller by her cubicle, and with a quick conspiratorial wink, he knocks on the glass of Harvey’s office door.

 

Harvey looks up as Mike opens the door, and he’s immediately on his feet, meeting them halfway with a large grin coloring his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming in?” Harvey asks before leaning over and kissing Mike. He takes Emmett from Mike’s arms, pressing a kiss to his chubby cheek.

"Because then it wouldn’t have been a surprise," Mike tells him.

"Well it certainly is."  Emmett curls into Harvey, resting his head on Harvey’s shoulder, one arm flung over in an obvious embrace. "I miss you too, baby," Harvey murmurs to Emmett, and Mike’s chest aches.

Mike knows how much Harvey hates being away from Emmett so much, has heard Harvey rant and complain about the topic more than once, but Harvey has responsibilities here too, and sometimes that means long hours away from home. He usually manages to come home at a decent hour, and weekends are a work free zone now, but sometimes a case will come up that needs more hours than he’d like, and he can go days without seeing his son (when he’s awake, that is). Mike’s never bought Emmett here, because their home life and work life are completely separate, and with good reason, but he’s glad he broke their unspoken rule today. Harvey needed this.

Emmett shifts back, puts his hands on Harvey’s face, and Harvey murmurs nonsense to him for a few moments. As such, it takes a while for him to notice, when he does a deadpanned, “Seriously?” escapes his lips.

Mike can’t help but grin. “Come on, tell me he doesn’t look adorable.”

Mike dressed Emmett in black skinny jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt, and a striped skinny tie (yes, it was fake, with elastic around the neck, because no one was stupid enough to try and tie an actual tie on a one year old). He’d bought the tie on a whim, because it was too good an opportunity to pass up, and what better time to wear it than for his first trip into Dad’s office.

"Okay, this is the only acceptable use of a skinny tie," Harvey grins.

"Wanna see something better?" Mike asks, gently taking Emmett from his arms.

"Sure," Harvey said, his voice sounding non-committal but Mike could hear the curiosity beneath.

Mike takes a few steps back, then crouches down and gently places Emmett standing on the floor. “Go to Dad, Emmett.”

Harvey crouches down and opens his arms to Emmett. When Mike releases his hands, Emmett takes three wobbly steps forward before collapsing into Harvey. “Look at you, little man,” Harvey exclaims, picking him up and kissing him. “When did you start taking so many steps, huh?”

"Yesterday," Mike tells him. Harvey had been there for Emmett’s first step (after Mike had called him from their bedroom just in time to see it), which happened over the weekend. But Emmett hadn’t seemed too keen to push beyond that, and for three days it was nothing but single steps. But then yesterday Emmett managed three, and Mike is so glad Harvey finally gets to see it.

Harvey looks at him over Emmett’s head, where Emmett is once again burying himself into Harvey. “Thanks for coming in,” Harvey says, too low to be anything but completely sincere.

Mike smiles softly. “Anytime.” They both stand up, and Mike leans over and kisses him. “We bought some food if you have time for a quick lunch.”

Harvey nods, so Mike pulls the containers out of his bag and sets them on the coffee table. They sit on the couch and eat while Emmett crawls around the office, completely at home.


	60. Chapter 60

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/72289521745/mike-is-so-screwed-he-fucked-up-missed-the#notes) gif.

Mike is so screwed.

He fucked up, missed the deadline, and someone - Harvey, Jessica, Louis, Donna, the options are endless - was going to murder him in his sleep. It’s not like he meant for this to happen. He prides himself on his work, on being all Harvey needs to get the job done, and it sounds ridiculous given the reputation he has for his brain, but he honestly just forgot. Not because he was flaking, far from it, but because he was doing so many other things at the same time (he’s been working nineteen hour days for the better part of the last two weeks) that this one tiny, inconsequential task was placed at the bottom of his mental priorities list and he just … forgot.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t so tiny and inconsequential, given the first thing Mike sees when he rounds the corner is Harvey lounging in Mike’s cubicle. That’s never a good sign, and Mike sighs, mentally preparing himself to get his ass kicked in front of the entire associate pool.

"Harvey," Mike says as soon as he’s within range, but the hastily formed apology dies when Harvey just holds up a manila folder. Confused, Mike reaches over and anxiously opens it.

It’s the contract he was supposed to write but never did.

"But - how -" Mike stammers, completely perplexed, lifting the pages to scan through them.

"I wrote it this morning and Donna just had it couriered over," Harvey informs him.

Mike feels a million pounds lighter. He lets out a relieved breath, leaning onto the edge of the cubicle and breathing, “I love you.”

He only realises what he’s said once he’s said it, the words lingering in his ears. His heart starts pounding in his chest. He can’t believe he actually said that to Harvey in a room full of witnesses. He feels hot and exposed, but whatever turmoil he’s going through Harvey doesn’t seem to notice because he just grins up at Mike and says, “I knew that.”

Harvey thinks he’s joking. Mike lets out a nervous laugh, tries to play the whole thing off. It’s not like he hasn’t jokingly said it before (a moment that he always thinks of as The Pineapple Incident - and yes, it’s always capitalised), and he and Harvey are well known for their particular brand of inappropriate work relationship (he once overheard some co-workers talking about his and Harvey’s relationship and the basic upshot of the conversation was that if you didn’t want to lose your balls - either metaphorically or literally - you never talked shit about one of them to the other because it wouldn’t end well). So Mike laughs along, joins Harvey when Harvey stands and starts heading back to his office, and when they get there Harvey says he knows Mike’s been working his ass off and he’s proud of Mike (not that he actually uses those words, but Mike can read between the lines) and he picked up Mike’s slack to show his appreciation for all his hard work. He then gives Mike another task and sends him on his way, the whole thing forgotten.

But the thing is, it wasn’t a joke.

He does love Harvey. It took him a long time to realise it, and even longer to accept it, but he does. He loves him, and he wasn’t joking when he told Harvey so. He realises now that he wants Harvey to know, to know the truth, even if he doesn’t like it and it changes everything. Mike’s life is a lie in so many ways, and he doesn’t want to lie about this, not anymore.

The rest of the afternoon is a complete haze. It’s a strange feeling, knowing that in a few hours his life is going to change forever. All of the major, life alerting events he’s experienced were completely unexpected (his parents dying, meeting Harvey, Grammy dying), throwing him for a loop and leaving him with no choice but to react and acclimate to his new life. But this, it’s pre-meditated, he  _knows_  this will change everything, most likely for the worst, and he has no idea how his life is going to change, he just knows that it will.

"So, have you come to tell me what’s wrong?" Harvey asks when Mike turns up on his doorstep, long past midnight.

Mike strides into the apartment. He’s spent the last few hours psyching himself up, and he just needs to say it. Once he reaches the lounge he turns back to Harvey and says, “I wasn’t lying today.”

"Never thought you were," Harvey replies easily. He considers Mike for a moment. "When specifically are you referring to?"

Mike barely has time to register that Harvey just knows that Mike doesn’t lie to him, ever, before he says, “After you gave me the contract.”

It’s like he can see Harvey mentally rewinding his day until he gets back to that moment and he realises what Mike’s saying. “Oh,” Harvey says softly.

"I’m not expecting anything, Harvey," he continues quickly. "We can just go on as we did before, it doesn’t have to change anything if we don’t let it. But I thought you deserved to know."

Mike lets out a shaky breath, feeling relieved and terrified all at once. There. He’s done it now. And whatever happens, good or bad, at least he’ll know that it wasn’t because he didn’t tell the truth.

"You should, you know," Harvey says eventually, voice low but certain.

"Should what?" Mike asks, confused.

Harvey takes a small step forward. “Expect something. You should always expect something from me. Because I will always give you anything I can, and this, Mike, is something you got a long time ago.”

A feeling strangely like hope blooms in his chest, but he can’t give in to it, not yet, not until he’s sure. “Wait, are you saying what-“

Harvey closes the space between them, pressing their lips together. It’s so easy, to inch that much closer, to press their bodies together, to deepen the kiss and have that feeling of hope spread throughout his body until it changes to a feeling like _home_.

Yes, Harvey was  _definitely_  saying what Mike thought he was saying.


	61. Chapter 61

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://danielsharman.co.vu/post/72715130296/x) gifset.

Harvey wakes when Mike shifts in the bed, his elbow digging into Harvey’s ribs.

It’s still early, earlier than he’d normally be up. But now that he’s awake, now that he can feel Mike beside him, now that the events of the previous evening are flooding his consciousness, there’s no way in hell he’s going back to sleep.

He sits gingerly, careful not to wake the man beside him. Soft dawn light is starting to filter through the large windows of Harvey’s bedroom, and he stares down at Mike in the shadows of the room, his mind running at a million miles an hour.

It was a mistake. That’s all he can think, the statement rolling through his mind in every variation possible. It doesn’t matter how amazing it was, or that he’s never felt more connected to someone, or that some part of him has wanted this for years. It’s too complicated, him and Mike, and it will ruin everything. Their relationship is too important to him. It’s honestly the most significant and valuable relationship he has. He’d do anything for Mike, and has, come to that. He doesn’t want to ruin everything, can’t stand the idea of losing Mike when he inevitably fucks up and Mike walks away like everyone before him has.

No, better to stop this thing before it ever really starts. They can just pretend it never happened. They can go back, it’s not too late.

Mike shifts in his sleep, his hand brushing up against Harvey’s knee. The touch is innocent and unconscious, but Harvey feels it like a brand, a searing heat on his skin just from the small point of contact. He’s in too deep already. He needs to get out before it gets worse.

So Harvey climbs out of the bed, padding naked to the en suite and showering for a long time. The water is too warm, and he tries to wash away the feeling of Mike, of Mike’s mouth and tongue on his skin, of their bodies pressed together.

He isn’t terribly successful.

Once he’s out of the shower and towelled off he goes through his morning routine on autopilot. He dresses in his best suit, eats his breakfast standing up in the kitchen, flicks through the morning newspaper. He pretends like the whole time he isn’t listening out to hear any noise emanating from the bedroom.

He should just leave. If Mike wakes up alone then the message will be pretty clear, and it will avoid a no doubt awkward and embarrassing conversation about feelings (which will inevitably lead to arguments and recriminations), and they can just go on as before. Yes, he knows it’s cowardly, and he’s not proud of it. But he can’t, he can’t watch Mike’s face fall with equal parts disappointment and resignation when Harvey tells him they can’t do this, not again.

He should just walk out the door now, yet he finds himself crossing the apartment in the opposite direction, back to the bedroom. He’s just going to check on Mike is all. He just wants one last look, one final image he can burn into his brain and torture himself with later on.

Mike’s still lying there asleep. He looks perfectly serene, completely at home all tangled in Harvey’s sheets, and Harvey can’t breathe. He strides over to the window, gazes out at the city before him. The view is familiar, calming. He sees it every day, a constant presence that helps to centre him. He takes a few deep breaths and it gives him strength.

"Harvey."

He can physically feel all his willpower deflating just from the sound of Mike’s voice. He takes another deep breath before turning, game face on, ready to tell Mike that this is it, that they can’t do this.

Mike props himself up on one elbow, meeting his gaze with far more brightness than anyone who just woke up should possess. He just looks at Harvey for a moment, and Harvey can tell the exact moment Mike gets it. He sits up fully, doesn’t tear his eyes from Harvey’s. It’s like they have an entire conversation without words, and Harvey would marvel at that but it’s basically par for the course now. That’s just who they are. They get each other, no words necessary, and so Mike probably knew that this was how Harvey was going to react before he did.

Mike knows all of Harvey’s issues, every argument he’d make as to why this is a bad idea. But the thing is, Harvey knows Mike just as well. Mike might be remaining silent but Harvey can still hear all of Mike’s rebuttals, all the reasons why this would be the best thing to ever happen to them, and honestly, there’s a part of Harvey, a rather large part actually, that wants to believe him.

“ _Harvey_ ,” Mike says again, layers of want and resignation and hope and insistence colouring that one single word, a last ditch effort to convince Harvey of his argument even though he has no idea if he’ll be able to.

Harvey stops thinking, because when it comes to Mike it’s never been about what is the logical or intellectual thing to do. It’s always, from the first moment they met, been about more than that. And he should just walk out the door. He should just walk away from Mike. But it’s something he’s never been able to do, and this time is no different.

He strides over to the bed, shucking off his suit jacket as he moves, and Mike radiates complete happiness when he leans down and kisses him, hands reverently cradling Mike’s face. Mike smiles against his mouth, wraps his arms around him as they fall back onto the bed.

 


	62. Chapter 62

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://goodboycaps.tumblr.com/post/30826754415) graphic.

Harvey steps out of the town car, exhausted from a long day of tedious meetings (why does Jessica even put him on mergers? ugh, so boring), wanting nothing more than some good food and to watch the Yankees kick ass on his new flatscreen.

Only, when he gets to his building he can’t help but notice the forlorn stranger sitting on the stoop.

The kid hasn’t even noticed him, too busy just starting at his hands like they could hold the answer to all of life’s questions only he can’t even work out what one plus one is. He could just ignore him, push past the young man like he pushes past every other stranger he passes on the street. But something about him intrigues Harvey, so instead he finds himself saying, “Can I help you?”

The stranger looks up, dazed, like he’s completely forgotten where he is. He even looks down the street in both directions after looking at Harvey’s face and being confused by what he’s seen.

"Uh, no," the man says, getting to his feet. "Sorry."

He takes hold of his bike by the handles and starts walking away. But Harvey is just too intrigued by the whole thing. Who is this random stranger who stopped on his doorstep as opposed to anywhere else in the city? Why is he in a suit but also apparently riding a bike? What happened to him, because obviously something has, to make him so dejected?

"Wait!" Harvey finds himself calling, and the man actually stops, slowly turning around. "Are you okay?"

He just looks at Harvey for a moment before letting out a shaky exhale. “Honestly, no.”

He looks like he’s about to turn away again, so Harvey asks, “What’s wrong?” before the man can leave.

The stranger runs a hand through his hair, shifting on the spot. Harvey gets the feeling he’s tossing up whether to tell Harvey or not, a theory that is proved when he starts talking in a rush, as though now he’s convinced himself to talk he wants to get it all off his chest before he stops himself.

"My grammy’s sick and I don’t have the money to look after her like she needs so I’ve basically been going to job interviews for three days straight but no one wants to hire a college drop out with no qualifications or experience and I don’t know what to do, fuck, what am I going to do, I can’t abandon her after she raised me, oh god, I can’t-"

Harvey has closed the distance between them and places a hand on the younger man’s shoulder when he starts shaking. He stops talking, focuses his gaze from where he’d been staring at nothing to Harvey’s face. It seems to calm him, Harvey’s presence, and he takes a few slow and deliberate breaths.

"What’s your name?" Harvey asks.

"Mike," he replies.

"Well, Mike, I’m Harvey."

It’s like his name triggers something in Mike, because the younger man looks at him with a sharper focus, eyes roaming over every inch of Harvey’s face.

"Holy shit, you’re Harvey Specter," Mike says, wide eyed and wondrous.

Harvey, suddenly acutely aware that he is still gripping Mike’s shoulder, drops his hand and steps back slightly. “Have we met?” he asks, even though he doesn’t think it could be true. He meets hundreds of people a week, it’s true, but he can’t imagine forgetting Mike.

"No, no we haven’t met. I, uh," Mike rubs the back of his neck nervously, "I’ve just read about you is all."

"You’ve read about me," Harvey deadpans.  _Who is this kid?_

"Yeah," Mike says, averting his eyes and, is he blushing? "I read about your work on the Johnson case. Submitting the motion that the judge’s ruling was wrong and asking for reconsideration was a bold move. I can’t believe he granted the summary judgement to you."

"Who are you?" Harvey asks before he can stop himself, completely astounded.

Mike laughs, not a little bitterly. “No one, believe me.” He smiles at Harvey, says, “Good to meet you, Harvey,” before turning away again.

But Harvey isn’t having that. He reaches out and wraps a hand around Mike’s arm. He doesn’t know who this kid is, but apparently he’s a college drop out who not only understands the law but actively follows it, and there’s no way in hell he’s letting Mike leave just yet. Mike quirks an eyebrow in surprise, but he doesn’t pull out of Harvey’s grasp, so he takes the opening and runs with it. “I was just about to order a pizza and watch the game tonight. You wanna come up?”

If it’s possible Mike’s brow rises even higher. “Seriously?” he asks, and Harvey can’t tell whether it’s surprise or suspicion or something else entirely.

Harvey shrugs. “I understand if you don’t want to but-“

"No, I want," Mike says urgently, taking a small step forward.

Harvey grins, pleased when Mike returns it. “Okay then. Come on, let’s go.”


	63. the best thing

Mike is surprised when he looks up to see Donna standing on the other side of his cubicle wall. He’s even more surprised when she states, “Jessica wants to see you.”

Mike opens his mouth to ask why but before the words form she has turned on her heel and stalked off. Confused and more than a little anxious, Mike caps his highlighter, standing from his desk and shucking his suit jacket on before heading upstairs to Jessica’s office.

She greets him warmly when he knocks on her open glass door, and it does little to ease his nerves. The worst blows come from behind a wide smile, and Jessica may know his secret but that doesn’t mean he’s safe, not really.

He’s so busy mentally preparing for the worst – history has shown that nothing good can come from him being called into Jessica’s office without Harvey – that he actually doesn’t recognize the good news at first. Jessica seems nothing short of amused by his non reaction, and his mind is processing the words but they don’t make sense no matter how long passes since she said the words.

"Can you say that again?" he asks.

Jessica smiles at him. “You’re being promoted to Senior Associate.”

"Why?" Mike blurts without even thinking. He immediately regrets the question, but Jessica is just laughing, amused.

"You’ve worked hard for a long time now. The Voltware settlement was the deciding factor, but we both know it would’ve happened sooner or later."

"But that was Harvey’s case," Mike points out.

She nods. “And you were the one that broke it.”

Mike feels like an idiot for wanting to protest, to point out that he would never have broken it without Harvey, that they were a perfect team. The way they feed off each other and make each other better to break their cases was a testament to their working relationship. He’s not sure he would’ve broken that case without Harvey there. But to keep protesting when he’s being offered a position he’s been coveting since his first day and is finally being offered is stupid. Yeah, Harvey might’ve been the point of inspiration that sparked the solution, but it was still Mike.

He still deserved this.

Jessica is talking at him and he’s smiling and nodding along, not really paying attention to the words. His mind is all white noise, the excitement and nerves and pride blocking everything out. That is until some of Jessica’s words crash through his filter.

"… I know Harvey wasn’t exactly thrilled about this but…"

It’s like all the happiness melts out of his body. His heart starts thudding in his chest and he can feel the anger welling within.

Harvey didn’t want him to be promoted.

It feels like a betrayal of everything he thought his and Harvey’s relationship was about. Why isn’t Harvey happy for him? Why does he want to keep Mike down? Not that he wanted to unnecessarily romanticize their relationship or anything, but he thought over the last few years he and Harvey had gotten to the point where they were more than just colleagues. He cares about Harvey, wants everything that’s good in the world for him, wants him to achieve anything he wants to achieve and will happily help him reach any goal. Didn’t Harvey feel the same about him?

When he leaves Jessica instead of feeling elated he feels furious. He goes straight to Harvey’s office, only to find it empty.

"Where is he?" he asks Donna, who is of course still at her cubicle.

Donna looks up at him and her face immediately falls. “What’s wrong?”

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you get called to Jessica’s office and Harvey leaves work in the middle of the day and now you come looking for Harvey looking like you want to murder him in his sleep. What’s wrong?"

Mike ruminates on that for a moment and when he realizes he immediately blurts, “Wait, so he didn’t tell you?”

Donna shakes her head, showing nothing but concern.

"Where is he?" Mike repeats, because Harvey is against Mike being promoted and he’s left in the middle of the day and has somehow managed to keep everything from Donna and Mike just needs answers.

Donna shrugs. “He said he was leaving for the day and to tell you to keep working on the Ferguson settlement paperwork.”

Fuck that, Mike thinks. Said thoughts must be showing on his face, because Donna says regretfully, “I honestly don’t know where he is.”

"I’ll find him," Mike declares, and he heads back to his desk to grab his things before walking out of the office.

He has no idea where Harvey is but figures a good place to start would be his apartment. He can feel the rage simmering with every step, so much that when Harvey opens the door Mike exclaims, “Fuck you,” before barging into the room.

Harvey closes the door with a soft thud behind him, and when Mike turns to look at Harvey it’s to discover Harvey taking a sip of the scotch in his hand. His face is doing that thing where it somehow manages to look blank and annoyed at the same time.

"You told Jessica not to promote me," Mike says, not even a question.

Harvey doesn’t disagree.

"Why? Harvey, why? After everything I’ve done for you all these years why are you trying to hold me back? Do you think I don’t deserve it?"

Mike hates the way his voice breaks slightly at those last few words, but he can’t help it. Harvey is more than just his boss and mentor. He’s his friend, his best friend actually, and the utter lack of faith Harvey is displaying in him cuts him down to the bone.

Harvey doesn’t respond, just takes another sip of his drink. He’s like a stone wall, closed off and impenetrable. Mike steps forward and pulls the drink from Harvey’s hand and puts it on the table.

"Fucking talk to me, Harvey!" Mike yells, angry and frustrated and so hurt. "What is the problem?!"

Harvey takes a few steps back, still as silent as ever. He looks, well, the only word Mike can think of is pained. But it’s not in a guilty way; it doesn’t look like he’s in any way remorseful over this. It’s more like the situation is hurting him in some way, and he’s desperate for Mike to not figure it out. Mike feels confusion add to his anger.

Mike turns away for a moment, running a hand through his hair. He takes a moment to breathe, to try and work this out. He’s been running on adrenalin ever since he walked into Jessica’s office and he has the sinking feeling that he has somehow managed to completely misread the whole situation, even if he still isn’t sure what has actually happened.

With one last deep breath Mike turns back to Harvey, who’s still standing there and just looking at Mike. “Okay, so you didn’t want me to get promoted,” he says, trying to keep his voice slow and calm. “So the big question is why. Because you don’t think I deserve it? Because you’re worried about how a higher position will affect our secret? Because you don’t want to have to hire a new Associate? Because you don’t think I’ll be able to do it? I mean, what else could it be. I know it’s not because you’re worried about things changing between us or –” Mike stops talking because Harvey has quickly averted his gaze away from him – the first real reaction Harvey’s given since Mike arrived - and he suddenly realizes exactly what is going on here. Even though part of him still can’t believe it.

"You know things aren’t going to change between us, Harvey," Mike says slowly, as if to a small child. It feels ridiculous that he has to say this out loud, that it’s him reassuring Harvey instead of the other way around. "No matter what. I’m still your guy, I’ll always help you whenever you need it, and I’ll still need you."

Harvey scoffs. “You don’t need me, Mike. You never really have.”

Mike literally cannot believe he is hearing this. He takes a few urgent steps forward, voice insistent when he says, “Are you kidding me? You’re the only one I need. Harvey, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Harvey turns away at that, like he doesn’t want to hear this. Mike thinks it’s because Harvey just doesn’t want to talk about feelings, but then he realizes. It’s because Harvey doesn’t believe him.

So he hooks his fingers around Harvey’s arm, turns him back to face him. “You don’t believe me,” Mike says. “Why don’t you believe me?”

Harvey just looks at him like he’s an idiot, and Mike knows he shouldn’t be comforted by such a look of disdain but he is. That’s his Harvey right there. It’s familiar and normal and maybe things aren’t that bad.

Finally, Harvey says, “Rachel,” the word strained, like it was being forced from Harvey’s throat against his will.

Mike feels like a bastard. Though he’s known that Harvey never really approved of his relationship with Rachel, he had no idea that Harvey thought Mike prioritized her over Harvey. Because, no. Just no. Without thinking it through, Mike steps forward and wraps his arms around Harvey. They’ve never done this before, and in truth they aren’t really doing it now, since Harvey still has his hands by his side, refusing to hug him back. But Mike won’t let go, not yet.

"Harvey," Mike says, voice soft but firm in Harvey’s ear, "no matter what, no matter who I’m with, you are always going to be the most important person in my life. I love you, and I’m grateful for you, and you will always be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

At last, Harvey grasps his arms around Mike, squeezing just for a moment before dropping his arms, and this time Mike lets him go, stepping back and out of the embrace.

"Are we okay?" Mike asks tentatively.

Finally, something like a smile graces Harvey’s features. “We’re okay. And congratulations, Mike.”

"Thank you," he replies genuinely. It finally feels real now that he and Harvey are okay, that Harvey has acknowledged his new job.

"Go on, you and Rachel should go celebrate."

"Come with us," Mike says, because he meant it, Harvey is the most important person in his life, and he wants Harvey with him to celebrate.

Harvey smiles softly at him. “Another time, perhaps. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

"Alright," Mike acquiesces, heading back towards the front door. When he reaches it he turns back to Harvey and says, "But we are doing drinks on Friday, just you and me, and that is non-negotiable."

Harvey chuckles. “Okay.”

Mike nods, opening the door. “See you tomorrow, Harvey.”

"See you tomorrow," Harvey echoes, before Mike opens the front door and walks through it.


	64. I drove a hundred miles in the wrong direction (aka six months later fic)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a direct followup to the previous chapters fic.

Mike feels his relationship with Rachel disintegrate at the seams.

It’s not a great feeling, and he is remorseful about it, but he apparently doesn’t care enough to stop it from happening. He could fight harder, make more of an effort, but it’s like something deep inside him knows that this is just what’s meant to happen.

They blame it on his new job: the longer hours, the stress it puts on him. Mike’s okay with taking the blame. It probably is his fault. The only downfall to the theory is that while his and Rachel’s relationship falls apart, somehow his and Harvey’s gets stronger.

It shouldn’t make sense, really. He and Harvey aren’t working together anymore, not in a direct way at least, and they therefore are spending less time together than they did before. Surely the distance of no longer being ‘Senior Partner and Associate’ should be a detriment, not an advantage to bringing them closer.

But then, Mike supposes, it just means that the time they do spend together is different because it’s them  _wanting_  to be together. It’s not just circumstance keeping them in proximity. It’s them making an effort. There’s wilful intent, and their interactions aren’t confined to the halls of Pearson Hardman. Somehow, despite the long hours and having no time for Rachel, he’s found time for Harvey.

Their relationship is completely different from before, even though it still feels the same. They go for drinks and dinners and movies, they consult each other on their individual cases, they grab take out and eat together in the same room as they work on different things… It’s more personal and immediate, and the transition from boss and subordinate with a hint of friendship to having a relationship that’s mostly friendship with a hint of work colleagues is surprisingly easy.

The whole time his relationship with Rachel is fading, his relationship with Harvey grows stronger than ever. And then, somewhat inevitably, Mike and Rachel officially call time on their relationship and she moves out.

When he tells Harvey he and Rachel have broken up Harvey gives him a sympathetic look, pats his back, and drags him out of the office for lunch. Mike knows Harvey never really liked Rachel, and he appreciates Harvey’s restraint in not spending the hour talking shit about her like he knows Harvey wants to. It says a lot, he thinks, that Harvey is putting Mike’s needs above his own.

Mike adjusts to single life well. In truth, it’s barely different from before. And it’s not that he doesn’t miss Rachel. She was a big part of his life for a long time, and he does miss her presence in his life. But he doesn’t long for what they used to have. And that in itself feels like a step forward. But life is still kinda the same. It’s still all work and Harvey and work and Harvey and work and Harvey as the months idle by

It all changes on a rainy Tuesday night in April. It seems a particularly average night at first, not one that would change his life forever. It’s been a perfectly ordinary day, Mike working away in his small office, elbow deep in paperwork. He left work early (and by early of course he means 8pm) and has just collapsed on the couch at home when Harvey rings. Harvey’s leaving the office and they chat amiably as Harvey is driven home. Because this is a thing they do now. They talk on the phone for no other reason than just to talk.

Mike kinda loves it.

He loves being with Harvey in person, but there’s something about their phone calls, where he feels a bit more free, a bit more bold. It’s not that he’s ever been particularly cowed by Harvey, he’s never been shy around him, but Mike says things to Harvey on the phone he probably wouldn’t say in person. There’s a kind of lazy ease about the whole thing, where he can just sprawl out on the couch, his cell pressed to his ear, as Harvey’s warm voice surrounds his senses.

He hasn’t seen Harvey all day (which really shouldn’t be an uncommon occurrence, now that they aren’t working directly together, but the truth is that most days that at least catch each other in the hallways or pop into each other’s office for a quick chat) and when Mike went looking for Harvey the previous evening he’d already left work for the day, and it’s stupid to miss someone in a day and a half but it is what it is.

"So I came by your office last night but you’d already left," Mike mentions. "Dinner meeting?"

"No, I went out to dinner with my neighbour. She’s new to the city, doesn’t really know anyone, and I bumped into her the other day when she was moving in and I offered to show her around."

"I don’t know how taking her out to dinner constitutes showing her around the city," Mike points out.

"Yeah, well…"

"So, what, was it a date?" Mike presses. He can feel a sudden uptick in the beating of his heart but it’s not something he’s terribly concious of.

Harvey doesn’t say anything. Mike doesn’t know why. It’s not like they’ve never talked about their love lives before.

"Did you have a good time?" Mike tries instead.

There’s another pause before a tentative, “It was nice.”

Harvey doesn’t seem to want to talk about this, so to change the topic Mike says, “Hey how come you didn’t take me out to dinner after I moved to the city,” with fake indignation, pleased when he can hear some muted laughter from Harvey.

"No need to be jealous, Mike, you’re still my favourite," Harvey teases

"Ha ha ha, very funny, ass," Mike says, entirely too fond. "Although, seriously, where is my ‘moving to the city’ dinner."

Harvey chuckles. “Friday good for you?”

"Deal," Mike grins.

They keep talking, but a feeling of unease settles in Mike’s stomach. He ends the phone call as quickly as he can without creating a cause for concern, and he sits up, staring at the phone in his hand, as his brain kicks into overdrive as he processes everything.

He’s jealous. He actually  _is_  jealous of Harvey and this woman.

And Harvey fucking knew it.

As is his habit whenever he’s pissed off with Harvey, he doesn’t even think, just grabs his things and rushes out of his apartment and heads over there. The journey is much shorter and easier now that he lives in Manhattan, and it doesn’t take long until he’s pounding on Harvey’s apartment door. When a half-confused and half-concerned Harvey opens it Mike says, “Fuck you,” before barging in to Harvey’s apartment.

Harvey closes the door and silently follows Mike inside.

"You knew this whole time, why didn’t you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Harvey asks, completely perplexed.

"That I was in love with you."

"I didn’t know that," Harvey protests. "I may have hoped for it, but I didn’t know it. You’ve been in love with Rachel since the day you started at Pearson Hardman, remember?"

"Yeah, well, I thought so too. But remember me telling you that you were the most important person in my life, that you were the best thing that ever happened to me? That didn’t tip you off at all?"

"It didn’t tip  _you_  off at all?” Harvey asks pointedly.

Mike sighs in resignation. He strides across to the kitchen and pulls a beer from the fridge. Harvey follows along tentatively, clearly still concerned over this sudden outburst. Mike takes a swig, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, and then it’s like being hit in the solar plexus when he finally catches up.

"Hold on," he says, putting his beer down on the counter, "you said you hoped for it."

Harvey takes a small step backwards, looking away nervously.

"Why did you hope for it?"

Harvey just looks at him like he’s an idiot. It’s like everything falls into place for him then. Everything. Every single thing that has happened to him since the day he met Harvey, hell, since as long as he could remember, it was all leading to this.

He’s in love with Harvey. And, if he’s reading the room right, Harvey is in love with him.

Figuring there’s only one way to test the theory (well, there’s not, really he could just ask but he likes this option better) Mike starts walking forward, taking comfort in the fact that Harvey doesn’t move away, and when he’s close enough that their chests press together it’s both of them that move forward so their mouths can meet in a simple kiss. It doesn’t stay simple for long, Mike wrapping his arms around Harvey’s shoulders, pressing their bodies even closer as the kiss deepens.

It feels like coming home, in all the ways that matter. It’s spine tingling and heart stopping and yet Mike can’t help the feeling of contentment and familiarity, like this is somehow their first and millionth kiss all rolled into one.

When it’s over they still aren’t ready to part, foreheads pressed together as they just hold each other and breathe.

"You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me too," Harvey whispers, and Mike can’t help but smile.


	65. yes

This isn’t the type of case they’d normally take. Hell, it isn’t even really a case. It’s a pre-nuptial agreement, and normally such paperwork wouldn’t make it within ten feet of Harvey’s office. And it wasn’t even that Cooper was one of their longest and most important (aka richest) clients. It was Jessica handing over the file with that smirk that said  _I know you don’t want to do this but you are dating your subordinate who doesn’t have a law degree so you will take this file and do it without complaint._ It was something she did every once in a while, just to remind Harvey of his place in the grand scheme of things.

So here they are, sitting on the couches in Harvey’s office, drawing up a pre-nuptial agreement.

"This is so stupid," Mike says, not for the first time. "Whoever invented pre-nups should be shot. Going into a marriage with a plan in case it fails is just asking for trouble."

"You’re such a romantic," Harvey says, not even looking up from his paperwork, his voice tinted with affection.

"Of course I am," Mike replies, aggressively striking out part of the contract he’s working on. "Marriages are supposed to last forever. Otherwise what’s the point? If you can’t say that that you love this person with your whole heart, that they make you better, that you can’t imagine your life without them, then maybe you shouldn’t even be proposing in the first place."

Harvey nods absently in agreement, and for a few moments the room is quiet, until that silence is broken by Mike blurting, “Marry me.”

Harvey’s head snaps up at that. Mike looks as surprised as he feels, jaw slack and blue eyes shining with nerves. But before Harvey has a chance to say anything Mike stands and begins pacing the room, talking a million miles an hour.

"Okay, so that’s not how I ever imagined asking the question, because even though my dad and I had a difficult relationship if there was one thing he taught me it was to honor the special moments, to create big memories, and proposing at work on a random Wednesday afternoon is neither of those things."

"Mike-"

"But I was just thinking about how pessimistic the idea of a pre-nup is and how we wouldn’t want one and I know it’s probably too soon and we haven’t even really talked about it before but I love you and I want to be married to you."

“ _Mike_ -“

"And if you don’t want to, if it’s too soon, that’s okay, I understand. I guess I just wanted to ask, to see if it was something you maybe, possibly, could be interested in."

“ _Yes._ ”

Mike finally stops pacing and looks down to where Harvey is still sitting in his chair, grinning up at him.

"Just so you know, if you ever stop babbling and get around to listening to my actual answer, the answer is yes."

Mike takes a small step forward. “Are you serious?” he asks, disbelieving.

"If you are," Harvey replies, with only just a hint of anxiety that maybe this is all just heat of the moment conversation, that maybe Mike doesn’t mean it.

Mike stalks forward, sinking down onto a knee in front of Harvey’s chair. He smiles shakily at Harvey. “I mean it.”

Harvey leans down and kisses him then, slides his hand around Mike neck and keeps him close. They don’t do this here, they never do public displays of affection at work, even though it’s common knowledge that they are together. But Harvey figures if they can’t share a kiss at work after getting engaged then when can they?

In years to come, when people ask about how they got engaged, Harvey and Mike will smile and laugh and then tell them the absolute truth. They’ll tell them how it was spontaneous and simple. They’ll tell them that it wasn’t at all what either would have expected given the examples they were both set (it wasn’t a grand gesture like when Gordon proposed to Harvey’s mom by dragging her out on stage and proposing in front of thousands of people, it wasn’t romantic and significant like when James proposed to Mike’s mom at the empty and candlelight bathed restaurant where they had their first date, three years to the day after they’d first met). But they will also say that for  _them_ , it was perfect.

Cooper’s marriage doesn’t last out the year, and his iron-clad pre-nup (because if they were going to do this stupid thing they were going to do it right) completely holds up. Harvey and Mike never write one, and they never have a need for it.


	66. Chapter 66

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://heartsuits.tumblr.com/post/80241434620) gifset

Harvey likes the way that surprise looks on Mike’s face.

It’s not just the wonder and delight, but the completely earnest and unabashed way he expresses it. His entire face lights up. He can’t hide it, even if he wants to. It’s the most honest of all his expressions.

So when Harvey tells Mike to pack up, they’re done for the day and going to dinner, Mike’s face lights up with surprise, and Harvey is already happy.

They go to a restaurant in midtown, one which doesn’t meet his but  _Mike’s_ standards, and when Mike asks what they are doing here of all places Harvey’s response is to grin and say, “What, you thought I was going to drag you somewhere you hate for your birthday?”

There’s that look of surprise again, still as amazing as ever, even in the harsh light of the chain restaurant they’re standing in.

"Come on," Harvey says, when it appears Mike isn’t capable of further speech.

They sit in a booth, eating a meal that costs less than just the entrée Harvey would buy at one of his usual restaurants, and the food is terribly average but that doesn’t matter. All the matters is the wide smile that never leaves Mike’s face, the laughs that continually escape their lips, the feeling of contentment that envelopes them.

Once they’re done they go back to Harvey’s. It’s late, but neither is ready to end the night just yet. Mike kicks off his shoes, makes himself at home while Harvey pours them both a drink. Mike lounges across the couch like it’s his, like he belongs, and Harvey wants to rebel against the thought but he doesn’t have it in him.

Mike, for some random reason, decides they should play cards, and what can Harvey do but indulge him. It is his birthday after all. So Harvey digs out a pack of cards and tosses them to Mike to set up. While Mike takes out the cards and shuffles them Harvey toes off his shoes, shrugs off his suit jacket and gets rid of his tie for good measure. Mike slides onto the floor and starts dealing onto the glass coffee table, so Harvey joins him, sitting on the plush carpet and leaning against his chair.

They play for a while, but it’s not serious. Mostly they just talk. And drink. And talk some more.

It’s long past midnight, they’re both getting tired, but Mike doesn’t mention leaving and Harvey can’t ask him to go. He doesn’t want him to go. Which is terrifying in and of itself, but then he imagines Mike walking out of the door, leaving him alone, and he doesn’t know which scenario is worse.

Mike is resting his head on arms folded on the coffee table, telling Harvey about the games he would play at his birthday party’s when he was a kid, smiling around the words as he clearly luxuriates in the memories. Harvey smiles back lazily, and when Mike comes to the end of his story he doesn’t move on to a new topic. He just sits there, staring at Harvey, idly at first but when Harvey meets his gaze and doesn’t look away Mike’s eyes become more focused, more intent.

There’s no sound but the crackling of the fire, no movement but for the way Harvey’s chest rise and falls, just this, this moment, this connection.

"Do you feel that?" Mike asks at last, voice low, tentative, like he’s worried that asking is crossing some invisible line.

Harvey wants to object on grounds of ambiguity. But he’s a little buzzed and at the point where he just needs to tell the truth. Because of course he can feel it. He feels it every time they are in the same room together. He’s felt it since the first day they met.

Harvey doesn’t say anything, just keeps his eyes locked on Mike’s, and the imperceptible nod is more than enough of an answer.

Mike sits, slowly edges his way around the coffee table, shuffling on his knees. Harvey knows what’s coming, and logically he knows he should stop it. But instead he puts his glass of scotch on the table, freeing up his hands so when Mike reaches him, throws a leg over him, presses himself into Harvey’s lap, Harvey’s hands are free to grip at Mike’s hips. Mike’s fingertips trail briefly down Harvey’s chest before they grasp at the placket of his shirt.

There’s that look of surprise again, like not only is Mike surprised that he had the guts to do this but he can’t believe Harvey’s  _letting_  him. Harvey’s never seen the expression this close before. But it’s different this time, slightly muted, like he’s worried about giving too much away.

It’s still beautiful.

Mike presses his forehead to Harvey’s, and exhales deeply.

"This is a bad idea," Harvey whispers, eyes closed, fingers pressing into Mike’s hips. He needs to say it, even if he doesn’t move away.

"Probably," Mike agrees, but he doesn’t move away either.

It’s easy, far too easy, to move just so, to slot their mouths together, to press their lips in a soft kiss. The world doesn’t fall down around them, but they stay frozen where they are for a moment, just in case. They breathe together a few times. In, out, in out. And then they’re moving again, kissing deeper, pressing whole bodies together.

No matter what, it will always be a bad idea. But their best ideas usually are.


	67. Chapter 67

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://heartsuits.tumblr.com/post/81652259900) gifset

He can’t believe it. Don’t get him wrong, Harvey really  _wants_  to believe it. He wants Mike to stay more than anything, but he’s getting whiplash from all the back and forth and he can’t help the nerves that skitter along his skin and the way his brain is protesting that no, this can’t be real, it’s all a trick.

"Why?" Harvey asks at last, after he has stared at Mike for a good twenty seconds and Mike has just stood there and let him. "Why are you staying?"

"Because of you," Mike says, easily, like he’s not afraid of it. Like it’s a simple truth of the universe: the sun rises in the east, what goes up must come down, and Mike is going to turn down a job offer because of Harvey.

Harvey doesn’t respond, doesn’t know how to honestly. He just keeps looking at Mike, like he’s still just waiting for Mike to disappear before his very eyes. It doesn’t make any kind of sense. Mike had been ready to leave, and even though Harvey hated it he also understood it. He knew how Mike was feeling about his life and career, about how trapped he felt by his secret. And the offer to work in a job like that, without the possibility of going to jail because of it, was more than just tempting. It made sense. Logically, it was the best option.

It just wasn’t the right option.

"I’m staying," Mike continues, taking a small step forward, "because I thought about it, weighed up the pros and cons, and realised that, yeah, working with Jonathan would mean that I could work without this secret over my head. It would change everything, not constantly looking over my shoulder, worrying about slipping up and putting myself and everyone around me in danger. It’s the smart option. I should take it. But then I thought about what my life would be like and I realised it wasn’t me. Being a lawyer, being your associate,  _that’s_  me, that’s who I am. I couldn’t give that up. I’d miss you too much.”

Mike takes another small step forward, smiles playfully at Harvey. “Admit it, you’d miss me too.”

Harvey shouldn’t say it. He should just roll his eyes and slap Mike on the shoulder and have everything go back to normal. But he can never forget how it felt, thinking Mike was going to leave. He can never forget all the missed chances, all the words he wanted to say to get Mike to stay but never did.

"I would," Harvey says, completely earnest. Mike’s face changes slightly, a small tick of surprise at Harvey’s words. But Harvey can’t take it back. And more to the point, even if he could, he wouldn’t. So he says it again. "I would miss you."

Mike just looks at him for a moment. Harvey can tell he’s surprised Mike with his words, so he just gives Mike the moment to process it. Then Mike furrows his brow slightly, waves a hand between them both and says, “Are we having a moment here?”

Harvey does roll his eyes this time, and Mike grins. “We’re totally having a moment, Harvey. Hey, no, don’t walk away, come back, the moment’s not over.”

Harvey ignores him, heading back to his desk. “Go home, Mike. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Harvey says, and he likes the way the words feel on his tongue. They feel right.

When he sits at his desk it’s to look up and see Mike still there, still smiling at him. “Admit it,” Mike insists.

Harvey raises an eyebrow in silent question.

"Admit that you care about me and that we just had a moment."

"I’ll admit to no such thing," Harvey says, partly because he’s had enough emotional confession for the day but mostly because it’s all a moot point now anyway. Mike knows the truth. And with that brain of his, he’ll never forget it.

"That’s okay," Mike says, slowly walking back to the door. "I’ll be around for a while. Plenty of time to have more moments."

Mike gives him one last brilliant smile before he leaves the office. Harvey watches him walk away, and in the dark of his office he can indulge in a sigh of relief and a small smile of happiness.

The Earth moves around the sun.

Harvey is the best closer in the city.

Mike is staying.

All is right in the world.


	68. Chapter 68

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://harveyscepter.tumblr.com/post/80963701737/mike-appearing-at-harveys-apartment-again) gifset and written as a birthday present for my deal smartalli.

When Harvey hears a knocking on his door late one Friday night, long past what polite society would deem it appropriate to visit someone unannounced, just for a moment he thinks it might be Mike. The thought is fleeting,  _ridiculous_ , because Mike left two years ago, walked away and didn’t look back, and Harvey hasn’t heard from him since. Harvey had to adjust to his own life without Mike in it anymore; a life where there was no one by his side day in and day out to make jokes and quote movies and inspire solutions, a life where no one turned up on his doorstep at random hours just because they could, a life that was left with a gaping hole caused by Mike’s absence.

So he gets up and walks to the door, thinking it’s probably a lost pizza delivery man or something, only when he opens the door the person he never thought he’d see again is standing there. Mike looks kind of tired and rumpled, looking at Harvey like he half expects him to shut the door in his face. And Harvey would be lying if he said he doesn’t briefly consider it. Because Mike has just shown up here after years, like it’s nothing, like he still has the right, and there is a part of Harvey that still hurts over Mike’s abrupt departure, that hasn’t forgiven him and doesn’t want to see him again.

But the truth is, he can never shut the door on Mike. And his curiosity outweighs his anger. He wants to know about Mike, where he’s been all this time, why he’s back now. So, after a long beat where they just look at each other across the threshold, Mike with apprehension and Harvey with shock, Harvey opens the door wide in silent invitation.

Harvey heads straight to the kitchen, fixes them both a drink, partly because he’s in need of one but mostly so it gives him something to do, something to occupy his hands so he doesn’t reach out to Mike to make sure he’s really here, a task he can focus on so he doesn’t just stand there staring at Mike in disbelief. He can’t help glancing up at Mike occasionally though, finding Mike wandering aimlessly around the room in a seeming desire to catalogue all the changes to the apartment since he was here last (as evidenced by the long amount of time Mike spends staring at a new piece of art in the dining area).

Harvey heads over to Mike, hands him a glass, takes a sip of his own drink. He wants to ask Mike how is he, but after two years that doesn’t seem like enough. Nothing he wants to say feels like enough.

"You look good," Mike says. He puts his drink down on the table without having any, and when he looks back to Harvey he’s smiling softly, like he can’t believe he actually said that out loud.

"Wish I could say the same," Harvey replies dryly, and Mike, curiously, laughs. Harvey can’t help the smile that stretches across his face at the sound, and it emboldens him to keep going. "I see you haven’t grown out of your skinny tie phase."

Mike looks down at his tie, runs it through his fingers. “Would you believe me if I said that the reason I keep wearing them is because every time I put one on I hear your voice in my head, telling me how bad they are?”

Harvey swallows thickly. Mike glances up under thick eyelashes and finally meets his eyes, looking some combination of pained and hopeful.

"Is that really true?" Harvey asks. Mike nods. "Then I believe you."

Harvey takes one last sip of his drink before he discards it onto the table and walks over to the window, finding comfort in the familiarity of the view. He doesn’t know how to handle this, Mike turning up here and implying that he thinks about Harvey every day.

He isn’t surprised when Mike joins him.

"I’ve missed this view," Mike tells him. After a few beats of silence he quietly adds, "I’ve missed you."

Harvey can’t reply to that, not to the one or the other. So instead he asks, “Where have you been all this time?”

"Portland," Mike replies.

Harvey was not expecting that. At all. And he can’t help but ask the next question, the one word that is more important than where he’s been these last two years. “ _Why_?”

It’s funny, Harvey can’t help but idly think, how many questions he can ask with just three letters.  _Why did you leave? Why did you never get in contact with me? Why didn’t you say goodbye? Why are you back now?_

And Mike, he must hear all that, because he turns to Harvey then, waits until Harvey turns his attention away from the window and meets his gaze. “I’m sorry,” he says, more heartfelt and sincere than Harvey has ever heard him. “I was so scared, Harvey. I didn’t want to get caught, I didn’t want you to get in trouble for me. It was the only thing I could think of to do.”

"You could’ve trusted me," Harvey says, and he can’t help the bitter tone that seeps through.

Mike steps forward, grabs at Harvey’s arm. “You are the  _only one_  I trust, Harvey. You have to know that. I just couldn’t drag you down with me. You deserved better than that.”

"Maybe I deserved the option to decide for myself."

Mike drops his hand from Harvey’s arm, and he misses the contact immediately.

"You’re right. I’m sorry. I fucked up. And I understand if you can’t forgive me and never want to see me again." He takes a few steps back. "I shouldn’t have come here. Sorry."

Harvey can’t watch Mike walk away, not now, not ever again. He reaches out and wraps his fingers around Mike’s hand. Mike stops immediately but it takes him a moment to turn around and face Harvey, hesitant, hopeful.

"Are you back in New York for good?" Harvey asks, voice slightly hoarse. "Are you staying?" Because Harvey just can’t go down this road if Mike is going to leave again. He won’t open himself up to inevitable heartbreak.

"I’d like to," Mike replies, but that’s not really what he’s saying at all. Harvey can hear the implication as loudly as if Mike had said the words out loud.

_If you want me to._

Harvey can’t say that he’s forgiven Mike for what he did, not yet anyway. But he will, in time, and he knows they have some rocky days ahead of them as they try and forgive each other and navigate a new relationship away from work and nothing about this is going to be easy. But it’s going to be real, and Harvey is going to get Mike back, and there’s no way he can give this opportunity up.

So he nods, just a tiny movement of his head, and Mike breaks out into a relieved grin. He rushes forward, flinging his arms around Harvey. Even though they’ve never done this before Harvey doesn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms around Mike, burying his face in Mike’s shoulder.

He breathes easy for the first time in years.


	69. Chapter 69

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written as a followup to [this](http://crazyassmurdererwall.tumblr.com/post/82005017562/queenoffreakingeverything-if-he-is-perfectly) comment fic by smartalli, which was inspired by [this](http://queenoffreakingeverything.tumblr.com/post/28656798183/if-he-is-perfectly-honest-harvey-doesnt-really) gifet. You'll need to read Alli's fic for this to make sense.

When Mike doesn’t answer the question straight away, when he doesn’t immediately laugh and scoff and deny, Harvey knows the truth.

It’s excruciating, having to sit there and watch Mike struggle, having to watch him decide what to say as the gaze of thirty people no doubt weighs heavily on his shoulders. And then Louis presses him again, demanding an answer, and in all their years together and throughout all their antagonism Harvey has never hated Louis, not really. But he hates him now, because Louis took this from them, he took something that should have been his and Mike’s, stole this moment from them and they can never get it back.

Mike has been doing his best to avoid looking at Harvey, but at last Mike looks directly at him. He keeps Mike’s gaze for as long as he can, wants to reassure Mike that it’s okay, that they’re okay.

"Yes. I’m in love with Harvey."

Harvey had known the words were coming, but it’s still a surprise. Louis starts talking some crap about how it’s motive and he’s firing an increasing amount of questions at Mike and Jessica bangs her gavel and calls for a recess and all of it feels distant and fuzzy because all he can see, all he can concentrate on, is Mike. As soon as Jessica excuses him Mike is up like a shot, fleeing the room in an instant. Harvey doesn’t even think, and when he looks back on this he won’t even remember moving, he’ll just remember that feeling in his chest, like there was an invisible thread connecting the two of them and where Mike led he had to follow.

He catches Mike by the elevators, the younger man doing his best to escape unnoticed if the amount of times he’s pressing the call button in any indication. When he sees Harvey he drops his hand, resigned to the fact he can’t escape now.

"Harvey-" Mike starts, but Harvey just shakes his head.

The elevator doors open with a chime and Harvey walks in, tilting his head at Mike when Mike just stands there and looks at him, dumbfounded. Mike cautiously steps into the carriage and the doors close, leaving them alone together in the small, confined space.

"Harvey-" Mike tries again, and even though he hates doing it he needs to stop Mike again.

"Not here," Harvey tells him, because they absolutely need to talk about this but there is no way they are doing it here. They need to be away from Pearson Hardman, somewhere alone and safe and familiar. "We’re going to my place."

"I’m sorry," Mike blurts, apparently uncaring about Harvey’s plans. "I didn’t - you don’t have to-"

"Mike," Harvey says gently, stepping forward and cupping a hand around the back of Mike’s neck. "It’s okay."

"It’s not," Mike says, and it’s then that Harvey understands. Mike doesn’t get it. Mike doesn’t get that he is the most important person in Harvey’s life, the only one he truly trusts, the only one he believes in. Mike doesn’t know just how stupidly in love with him Harvey is.

Harvey smiles then. Part of him still wants to wait until they’re back at his place, but he can’t wait. He can’t let Mike go another minute without knowing. So he steps impossibly closer, leans in and slots their mouths together. Mike doesn’t respond at first, and Harvey hopes it’s shock rather than an undesirous advance stilling him, a hope which is proven to be correct mere moments later when Mike slides an arm around Harvey’s waist and kisses him back.

Harvey presses his forehead to Mike’s, his fingertips threading through the short hairs at the nape of Mike’s neck, and just breathes. “It is,” he whispers, and is rewarded with a low chuckle from Mike.

The elevator doors open and Harvey automatically steps back, but thankfully there’s no one waiting there to catch them in this moment. This, it’s just for them. Pearson Hardman might have gotten Mike’s confession, but that’s all they’re getting.

"We’re still going to your place right?" Mike asks with a grin.

Harvey returns the smile, tangling their fingers together before leading him out of the elevator.


	70. my guy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in response to the season three finale.

It’s not that dinner is uncomfortable or quiet or anything like that. They talk and joke and any outside observer wouldn’t be able to see anything amiss.

But Mike knows the truth. It’s weird and strained and they are both trying like hell to pretend it’s not weird and strained, which is just making it worse. The silences linger just a touch too long, sentences are started but quickly aborted, their postures are just a shade too formal…

He knows why it’s like this. He’s not an idiot. Harvey might never say it, but he’s going to miss Mike, just as Mike is going to miss Harvey. Sure, it’s not like they’re never going to see each other again. Even if Mike was going into a new job that didn’t require the use of Harvey as his lawyer, even if there was nothing officially connecting them anymore, Harvey was stuck with him, for now and ever more. But it’s going to be different. Everything is going to be different now. And as much as this was his decision, as much as he knows this is what needs to be done, that doesn’t mean he’s entirely ready for it either.

"Harvey," Mike says at last, long hours into the dinner, the third course sitting untouched before them. "It’s gonna be okay, you know."

"Of course it is," Harvey says dismissively.

Mike’s tempted to let it slide, but he can’t. Not now. This is too important. Mike has left Pearson Specter, their relationship is going to be completely different from now on. And he wants it to get off on the right foot. He needs them to be honest with each other.

"You can admit that you’re gonna miss me, you know. I’m going to miss you."

Harvey rolls his eyes, but Mike can tell the movement is forced.

“ _Harvey_ ,” he insists.

"I don’t want you to go," Harvey admits, words rolling off his tongue in a rush, like if he didn’t say it now he never would. "And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that earlier. I tried. I just…"

Mike swallows thickly. It’s everything he wanted to hear, but it doesn’t make him feel better. In fact, he can’t believe how much worse he feels.  _Assuming_  and _knowing_  are two completely different things, and  _knowing_  how Harvey feels makes leaving so much harder. “I’m glad you’re telling me now. Even if it doesn’t change anything, I’m glad you told me the truth.”

Harvey smiles weakly, running a hand through his hair. “Jessica asked me today if I was going to replace you.”

"Wow, she doesn’t mess around, does she? What did you say?" Mike asks, more apprehensive over the answer than he probably has any right to be.

"I told her no. You’re my guy. I don’t want another one."

Mike can’t help the rush of warm affection that rolls though his body at that, nor the small smile that plays at his lips. He tries to look Harvey in the eyes but doesn’t quite manage it, not even when he replies with, “I’ll always be your guy, Harvey.”

The rest of the dinner is decidedly less tense after that.

*

Mike loves his new job. It’s interesting and dynamic and he’s really fucking good at it. He breathes freer, not feeling the weight of his secret every single day.

The first time he sees Harvey after leaving Pearson Specter he’s returning to their building not as an employee but as a client. It’s weird, having to check in at reception, being announced to Donna and then to Harvey, when part of him still feels like this is home. But when Donna shows him into Harvey’s office with exaggerated professionalism and Harvey stands from his desk, grinning widely, everything is instantly better.

Their meeting runs for over an hour, less than a quarter of which is devoted to the actual work required from Harvey. The rest of it is just talking, catching up, throwing a baseball back and forth like they’ve done a hundred times before.

It’s a relief, to know that they’re okay, that things haven’t changed that much between them.

Mike leaves with the promise of a contract to be delivered by the end of the day and dinner plans for the weekend.

*

Mike would like to say he didn’t see it coming.

He did.

Things haven’t been going well for months now. He and Rachel never see each other anymore, and the few times they do they end up fighting over stupid things. Like right now. She’s stressed trying to juggle school and work, Mike’s busy with his job, and now that they aren’t working in the same building together their lives are slowly drifting apart.

It’s the end of a long week, both of them too exhausted to pretend this isn’t them on the verge of splitting up. This is it, the crossroads, the point in which they need to decide if they are going to try and save their relationship or tap out. Mike looks at Rachel, her eyes shining with tears, her lips red from where she’s worried them, and she is beautiful and amazing and Mike knows that they are never going to work.

He walks out the door, out of the apartment they share, into the dark of the city streets. He feels frayed and lost and he doesn’t know what to do. He should get a hotel room for the night, because he needs somewhere to stay, but he ends up roaming the streets, ostensibly trying to clear his head but really just ignoring the feeling in his chest that there is really only one place he wants to be right now.

It doesn’t take too long to give in, and he soon finds himself standing outside Harvey’s apartment, knocking softly on the door. He hasn’t turned up here unannounced since he left Pearson Specter. He and Harvey have still seen a lot of each other - granted it wasn’t as much as when they were working together for twelve hours a day, but there have been meetings and dinners and movies, not to mention random emails and texts and the occasional phone call. They’re friends, good friends, and Mike will never use the term best friends out loud to Harvey (partly because of the way Harvey always made a face whenever Mike used that term in reference to Trevor but mostly because he knows Harvey will laugh at how juvenile it is) but that doesn’t make the sentiment any less true.

Harvey definitely looks surprised when he opens to door to find Mike standing there, but the more obvious (to Mike, anyway) emotion is concern.

"Rachel and I broke up," Mike tells him before Harvey has a chance to ask.

Harvey gives him a sympathetic look, taking a step forward and placing a hand on his arm.

"I didn’t really have anywhere else to go," Mike says, and then he finds himself closing the gap between them, wrapping his arms around Harvey.

It shouldn’t mean as much as it does, the way that Harvey’s arms unhesitatingly encircle him in a firm hug, the way Harvey lets him bury into his neck, the softness of Harvey’s voice when he says, “You can stay as long as you want.”

*

Mike stays at Harvey’s for the weekend.

When he emerges from the guest room the morning after his unannounced arrival at Harvey’s he hears the older man on his cell, telling Donna to cancel a meeting with a client. Mike smiles, feeling comforted, and when he walks into the lounge he says good morning and doesn’t let Harvey know he heard him cancelling work just for him.

They spend the two days just lounging around Harvey’s condo. There are movies, music, food, and alcohol. Sooo much alcohol. It takes until Harvey has downed four drinks before he confesses that he never understood Mike and Rachel’s relationship and that Mike is better off without her. Maybe it’s the alcohol, or the warmth from where Harvey is pressed against him on the couch, but in this moment Mike can’t help but agree.

Their hangovers the next morning are brutal, but not something he regrets.

*

When he gets back to the apartment, Rachel and all her belongings are gone.

Between losing Grammy and Rachel in these four walls, he knows he can’t stay here. His skin itches and he feels listless as soon he walks in the door.

He can’t stay.

He gets his assistant (because holy crap he has an assistant now) to start short-listing apartment options for him. Granted, it’s probably not part of his job description, but Cameron is awesome like that. He lines up some inspections and finds some open houses happening over the weekend, and when Mike is on his way to the first one Harvey calls him. He’s been doing that a lot this week, just checking up on Mike, and Mike can’t help the small smile that graces his features every time he looks at his cell and sees Harvey’s name there.

"Hey," Mike answers with a grin.

"Hey, Mike, how are you?" Harvey asks, tone light, even though Mike knows Harvey does genuinely care about the answer.

"I’m doing okay," Mike tells him. "You?"

"Good. So what are you doing today?"

"Looking at apartments," Mike says. Harvey knows about his plan to move, and has been nothing but supportive of it. "What about you?"

"Merger paperwork," Harvey replies with a groan.

Mike chuckles. An idea comes to him, and he says it before he can talk himself out of it. “Feel like playing hooky and coming to look at apartments with me?”

There’s a pause, and Mike panics, but then Harvey says, “Where should I meet you?”

*

Harvey is unsurprisingly critical of every apartment they look at. Mike doesn’t care, not only because Harvey is right a lot of the time, but with Harvey by his side this process is a lot less daunting and much more fun that it would’ve been otherwise. The following three weekends are filled with apartment hunting, Harvey tagging along each time, and it gets to the point where Mike stops correcting the various real estate brokers who assume they are a couple. The one time Harvey overhears a broker refer to him as Mike’s partner Harvey just turns away with what looks like an amused smile on his face, so he clearly isn’t offended by the incorrect assumption, and Mike just figures it’s easier to let them think whatever they want.

When Mike finds a place he likes Harvey insists on handling the paperwork, and Mike thinks it’s as close as Harvey will ever get to saying he approves of his choice (the fact that out of all the apartments they’ve looked at this is the one that was closest to Harvey’s place probably didn’t hurt). Mike says he can handle everything himself, but jokingly says if Harvey wants to take it on pro bono then he’s most welcome.

Harvey says yes.

Not only that, he helps Mike pack and move and when the first thing Harvey unpacks at the new apartment is Grammy’s panda picture, Harvey carefully unwrapping it and putting it up on the lounge room wall, a feeling Mike is hesitant to name sits heavy on his chest. Mike just stops, freezes in place as he watches Harvey carefully hang the picture, making sure it’s straight before stepping back and taking a moment to admire it. When Harvey looks over and catches Mike watching him there’s something there in the space between them, something he’s never felt before but it doesn’t feel entirely new either, more like an exaggeration of what Mike normally feels when he looks at Harvey. It feels scary and important and inescapable, and Harvey just keeps his gaze from across the room, not backing down for a moment.

Once everything is unpacked they order pizza and watch a movie and Harvey ends up falling asleep on Mike’s new couch. Mike considers waking him, but he just can’t do it. Harvey feels comfortable and safe enough here, with Mike, to let his guard down and fall asleep on his couch, and Mike doesn’t want to ruin that. So he drapes a blanket over Harvey’s body and goes to bed, and when he gets up in the morning it’s to Harvey unpacking breakfast and handing him a coffee from the deli on the corner.

*

They have different jobs, different careers, their lives are so different from when they first met. But as the months roll by, it becomes clear to Mike that that doesn’t even matter. Because Mike still goes to Harvey whenever anything noteworthy happens in his life. Harvey still needs Mike in a way that he doesn’t need anyone else.

Their secret binds them together, because even though Mike is no longer practicing it could still be an issue for Harvey if anyone ever found out, but that’s not what keeps them in each other’s lives, not really. They could’ve said goodbye and walked away and never told a soul about the lie they lived for so long.

But they didn’t, for the simple reason that they  _want_  to be in each other’s lives still. Harvey is the first person Mike calls when his new business hits a milestone. Mike is the first person Harvey calls when he lands a big client. When Harvey sees a movie trailer he likes he forwards the link to Mike and they make plans to see something that isn’t coming out for another six months. Mike will hear a song online that he thinks Harvey would like so he goes and buys the whole CD for him (or the record if it comes in vinyl). It’s basically an unspoken agreement at this point that every weekend there will be a dinner or a movie or  _something_  together…

They don’t see each other every day, and sometimes Mike misses that. But then they’ll be cooking dinner together in Harvey’s kitchen, or going to a game and fighting each other with wide grins as their teams battle it out on the field, or lounging together on Mike’s couch with a beer in hand and talking deep into the night, and he knows that he wouldn’t give this up for anything. This is who they were always meant to be.

*

Mike would like to say he didn’t see it coming.

He did.

Mike worked at Pearson Specter for thirteen months. Thirteen months and one day after he leaves is when Harvey kisses him. Whether it was a coincidence or Harvey had been waiting until the length of their personal relationship had exceeded their professional one, Mike couldn’t say. And to be honest, he doesn’t fucking care. Because Harvey’s mouth is on his and his heart feels like it’s about to jump out of his chest and in his thirty years on this earth nothing has ever felt more right.

He’d been thinking about it for a while, had given up trying to pretend that he wasn’t halfway in love with his best friend, that he didn’t want more. And he suspected that Harvey felt the same but just didn’t know how to admit it.

Mike wanted something to happen, but even though he was pretty sure that Harvey had feelings for him, that their relationship was heading in that direction, there was that little niggle of doubt. He couldn’t make the first move. But he wasn’t above making sure that Harvey knew that if a move was made it wouldn’t be rejected.

So he started flirting a little more, touching a little more, basically gave up on the whole idea of personal space. And then one night, Mike asked, “Am I still your guy?”

Harvey replied with a soft smile and a “You’ll always be my guy.”

Mike kept his gaze, refused to look away, wanted Harvey to  _get it_. And he must’ve, because a few weeks later they go out to dinner, and Harvey tells him that yesterday was thirteen months to the day since Mike left, and after they eat they go back to his place for a nightcap and as soon as they walk through the door Mike finds himself pressed back against it, Harvey’s mouth on his. Mike can feel the length of Harvey’s body against his and their mouths are moving slowly but with a definite purpose and it’s  _perfect_.

*

They don’t wait. They’ve been together for three months when they get married, because they  _know_  and what is the point of waiting any longer when you finally find what you’ve spent your whole life looking for.

The ceremony is short and reception intimate and when it’s time for their first dance Mike tangles his fingers with Harvey’s and pulls him onto the floor. The song starts up and it’s Mary Wells singing  _nothing you could say can tear me away from my guy_  and Harvey laughs, pulling Mike closer and kissing him like there was nothing else in the world worth doing.


	71. Chapter 71

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [these](http://hermione.tumblr.com/post/83549950077) photos (set pics from season four, so warning for the vague spoilers before you click on the link).

Their first date is, well, not going so great.

Technically it’s just a lunch, a meal with a friend in the middle of a workday, but even though it was never explicitly stated, this  _is_  their first date. Because last night they were hanging at Mike’s place, lounging on the couch and chatting over beer and baseball, and it was relaxed and easy and there was this moment, a perfect moment where they were pressed side by side and smiling at each other and Mike flicked his gaze briefly to Harvey’s lips and Harvey started moving forward…

… at which point Harvey’s cell rang. It was Jessica, a work emergency, and he had to go. Mike nodded, gracious and understanding, and when he walked Harvey to the door Harvey hesitated, like there was something else he wanted to say or do before he left, but in the end he just said, “We still on for lunch tomorrow?”

Mike nodded, and Harvey walked away.

So yeah, this is officially just a lunch between friends, but it’s not, because they nearly kissed last night, and in the six months since Mike left Pearson Specter he has felt their relationship slowly edging in this direction. This is their first date. And it’s not going well.

It’s too awkward, probably  _because_  of the fact that they are pretending it’s just a lunch when they both know it’s not. So they try and make small talk but it all falls flat. They try and talk about work but the conversations go nowhere. They end up sitting and eating in silence for long stretches of time, glancing at each other when they think the other won’t notice.

They forego dessert and just get out of there as soon as possible. Mike pays the bill, because it was his turn, but when they leave the restaurant Mike isn’t ready to go yet, doesn’t want to leave things like this.

There’s a coffee and bagel cart down the block, so Mike says, “Have time for a coffee?”

Harvey nods, and they walk together down the street, and when Mike says something random Harvey picks up the thread and together they weave a conversation. Already it feels better. This is familiar. It’s so much better than sitting awkwardly in the restaurant. Everything is natural and easy and this,  _this_  is the reason they are here today.

They order a coffee each, and Harvey also asks for a bagel. When Mike raises an eyebrow in silent question Harvey says, “Food wasn’t that great.”

"Mine either," Mike agrees. "Let’s never go back there again," he suggests, ostensibly because of the bad food but more because they just had the worst first date ever there.

And Harvey grins, like he knows what Mike is really saying, and replies, “Agreed. Did you want some food?”

Mike shakes his head. “Thanks though.”

Harvey hands over the cash to the impatient looking vendor, with a large tip in apology. While they wait Mike asks Harvey about the strategy for his meeting with Lennox later today and Harvey tells him his plan. Mike makes a suggestion or two, because even though he’s not a lawyer anymore he can’t forget everything he knew, and he might not be working for Harvey anymore but he still wants him to succeed. Harvey nods approvingly at Mike’s ideas, the moment broken by their food and drinks being ready.

Things are better after that. They just stand on the sidewalk, chatting amiably, and this is what their first date should’ve been like from the start. Yeah, okay, maybe not the coffee on a sidewalk aspect, but this easy-going conversation, this feeling of rightness from being together, that was all them.

After about ten minutes Mike says, “I should get back to work. I have a meeting and if I don’t leave now I’m going to miss it.”

"Okay. I’ll call you later?" Harvey says, trying to make it sound neutral, though it ends up being anything but.

Mike grins, nodding. “Look forward to it.”

He turns and starts walking away, but he still can’t leave like this. He’s only made it about six steps when he turns back.

"Okay, so I know it was like some tacit agreement that we weren’t going to acknowledge that this was a date but it was and to be honest it kinda sucked."

Harvey, who had just taken a bite of his bagel, can’t respond.

"But," Mike continues, pulling the bill receipt from his pocket and putting it in Harvey’s, "this  _was_  our first date, so here, keep this as a memento, proof that Harvey Specter can’t close every situation.” He puts his hands on Harvey’s arms, grins when he says, “Next time, and there  _will_  be a next time, I expect to be  _wooed_.”

Harvey rolls his eyes, but it’s completely betrayed by the small smile playing at his lips.

"I’m serious," Mike insists, a little too emphatic to be genuine. "Flowers. Chocolate. Candlelight. The whole nine yards. There will be wooing."

Harvey chuckles. “Whatever you say, Mike,” he says, that playfully dismissive tone Mike has heard so many times before.

Mike grins in reply, but then he can’t help but sober. He knows they are both messing around, but just in case he says, “Truth?”

Harvey nods, and Mike inches closer and kisses him, chaste but lingering. His stomach swoops when he feels the returning pressure of Harvey’s lips.

When he pulls back he tells Harvey in all sincerity, “You don’t  _really_  have to close me. For you, I’m a sure bet.”


	72. savour

Harvey’s mouth slides down Mike’s throat at a torturously slow rate, small sloppy kisses pressed to his skin. Mike arches back, not just his neck but his entire body, forcing Harvey to chase after him, to tighten his grip on Mike’s hips where he’s sitting in Harvey’s lap so that the younger man doesn’t stretch too far out of his grasp.

While Harvey worries the curve of Mike’s skin where neck and shoulder meet, nibbling on the soft pale skin until it turns a lovely deep red, Mike threads his fingers through Harvey’s hair, his hands eventually settling at the nape of Harvey’s neck, fingertips idly stroking the skin there.

“ _Harvey_ ,” Mike says, voice soft.

Harvey makes a vague noise in return, one Mike feels more than hears from where their bodies are pressed together on Harvey’s couch. Harvey looks up at him for a moment, and whatever Mike wanted to say flees without a moment’s notice when their eyes meet. How is anyone supposed to manage rational thought when they are on the receiving end of such a look, one that screams of love and want and the utter happiness of finally getting something you never thought you could have.

So instead of words, those useless things that have never mattered to them anyway, Mike leans down and kisses him. Harvey returns the embrace eagerly, hungrily, and Mike can’t remember ever feeling like this, like he wants to burst out of his skin and probably would were it not for Harvey’s grounding touch. He wraps an arm around Harvey’s shoulders, sinking into his lap and pressing their bodies impossibly closer, and part of him is scared about how right this feels but the rest of him is too happy to care.

Harvey slips a hand under Mike’s t-shirt, warm fingertips gliding along his lower back, making Mike shiver.

Mike breaks the kiss, breath coming in deep exhales. “Harvey,” Mike says, breathless, and Harvey can’t stop, pressing his mouth to the hollow of Mike’s throat and licking lightly. “Harvey, I don’t want to have sex.”

Harvey stills, just for a moment, before saying, “Alright,” and going back to his task.

But Mike felt it, that moment of hesitation, of uncertainty, and he pulls back, gently cradling Harvey’s face in his hands, making sure Harvey looks at him when he says this, because Mike doesn’t want any doubt.

"I don’t mean ever. I just want to take things slow. We rush everything, Harvey. I don’t want to rush this." He presses his forehead to Harvey’s, letting out a deep sigh. "I want to savor every moment with you."

He can’t see but he knows Harvey is smiling from the way his muscles move under Mike’s fingers. Mike traces a thumb along Harvey’s lips and the older man presses a kiss to it.

Harvey pulls back enough that Mike gets the message, doing the same so they can look at each other again. Mike can feel Harvey’s fingertips on his skin, reassuring and real, and Harvey nods. “I want you in every way imaginable. But we’re never gonna get all these firsts again, so, yes. I’m more than happy to take it as slow as you want.”

Mike smiles, bold and brilliant, and Harvey can’t help it, wrapping his arms around Mike and pressing his face into Mike’s neck. He can feel Mike tighten the embrace, arms and legs squeezing slightly.

"You’re it for me, Mike. Of that I have no doubt."

Harvey’s voice is low and muffled against the material of Mike’s shirt, and Mike isn’t sure whether he was supposed to hear that, if Harvey even meant to say it out loud. But he can’t let the statement go unanswered, so he guides Harvey’s face upwards so he can kiss him, pouring less than one percent of the feelings he has for Harvey into that kiss.

As such it’s still the most deep, sincere, passionate kiss he’s ever had.

"Do you wanna stay?" Harvey asks when they part for breath, and Mike might not want their relationship to go too fast but he trusts Harvey not to push even when they are curled up in bed together.

Whether  _his_  resolve lasts the night is a whole other question.

Mike nods and gets up off Harvey’s lap. He follows Harvey into the bedroom, the older man actually pulling out two pairs of pajama pants and t-shirts and offering one to Mike. They dress in silence on opposite sides of the bed, and Mike uses every ounce of willpower he has not to sneak a look. They move easily around each other as they go through their necessary pre-bedtime rituals, and Mike can’t help the feeling of familiarity that sits in his chest.

This doesn’t feel awkward - it feels completely right and so easy, like it’s something they’ve done a million times before.

They slide into bed, and though they get distracted making out for a bit it doesn’t last long, both of them making themselves comfortable, tangling together in the large bed, before slowly falling into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for updates today. I'm not sure how the updates work but if you've subscribed to this fic and gotten separate emails for each chapter I apologise for the spam (I just don't know how else to update).


	73. a face to call home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title comes from the John Mayer song of the same name.

It’s not like he didn’t know this was coming. It wasn’t as if Harvey turned up to work and was surprised by Mike’s absence. There was no moment where he went to Mike’s desk to give him work only to be taken aback to find it empty and abandoned.

Harvey was acutely aware of Mike’s absence, and had been for hours before he walked into the building that morning. He was even prepared for how horrible it was going to make him feel.

Only, reality was ten times worse.

The first day without Mike was tough. It was like all the joy had been sucked out of the room. Even teasing Louis or bantering with Donna or Jessica felt hollow. At the end of the day, long and exhausting as it was, he wandered the halls until he ended up at Mike’s cubicle. The desk was clean and barren, just a computer and that’s it, and he sat down in Mike’s chair and closed his eyes and let the world go on without him for a few minutes.

The week didn’t really improve from there. He did his work, because he was Harvey goddamn Specter and nothing could stop him from being the best lawyer in the city, but even he couldn’t deny he was a bit more sluggish than usual. Louis even commented on it, after their verbal sparring ended in Harvey’s defeat, a once in a lifetime occurrence if ever there was.

So when Friday afternoon rolled around and Harvey’s mood still hadn’t improved Donna told him in no uncertain terms to get the hell out.

Happy for once to not have an excuse to stay, Harvey let himself be ushered out of the building. But he wasn’t really ready to go home either. What would be the point? The apartment was just so large and empty, and even though it was normally his solace, right now he didn’t think it would make him feel any better. So he wandered around the city streets for hours; he got lost in Central Park, people watched in Times Square (a place he normally avoided like the plague), browsed the shops on Fifth Ave but left every store empty handed…

Night had long since fallen by the time he made it home. He felt weary and empty and when he exited the elevator to see Mike sitting on the floor outside his apartment door at first he wasn’t entirely convinced he’d not just hallucinated the whole thing. But then he blinked and Mike was still there, sitting with his back pressed against the wall, legs outstretched and crossed at the ankle, hands resting in his lap. He was dressed casually and was just silently sitting there, seemingly waiting for him.

The sound of the elevator doors closing must’ve got his attention and Mike looked back down the hallway, finally spotting Harvey. He didn’t say or do anything at first, not with them at opposite ends of the hall, but when Harvey slowly approached Mike said, “So you miss me, huh?”

His voice wasn’t teasing or taunting. It didn’t even sound like a question, even though technically it was. His tone was even, like it was just plain fact, and it wasn’t like Harvey had any room to argue the point anyway.

Mike remained sitting on the floor, and even though Harvey should just invite him in he instead found himself sitting down beside him.

"Maybe," he replied, as close to a verbal admission as he’d ever get.

Mike smiled softly and said, “Me too.”

Harvey couldn’t – wouldn’t – respond to that. It was too scary, too dangerous. So instead he asked if Donna had sent him here, because Donna’s sudden insistence that he leave work had suddenly taken on a new light.

Mike shrugged. “Yes and no. I know Donna and Rachel talked today. I also know that Rachel kicked me out of the apartment because she is, and I quote, sick of looking at my mopey and forlorn face. Whether any of these events is connected is beyond me.”

"Your face doesn’t look mopey or forlorn to me," Harvey pointed out.

Mike gave him a look that screamed  _gee, I wonder why that is_. But what he actually said out loud was, “So what does my face look like then?”

_Home_ , Harvey’s brain immediately supplied, but Harvey had not lost complete leave of his senses and so instead of answering Mike’s question he not so subtly changed topics by asking, “So how’s the new job?”

So Mike told him all about it, how his first week had gone, the problems inherent in a new startup, the wins they’d had. He talked for a couple of minutes, ending with, “So yeah, basically, it’s really good. It’s just missing one thing.”

"Yeah? What’s that?"

Mike looked at him, a cross between  _you’re an idiot_  and  _don’t make me say it,_  and the fact that he could still read Mike like a book was of surprisingly little comfort.

Harvey couldn’t look away, and it was like Mike’s gazed pulled the following words from his throat. “Okay, I admit it,” Harvey said in a resigned sigh. At Mike’s curious eyebrow quirk Harvey elaborated with, “I miss you.”

Mike grinned then. “Dinner?” he said, getting to his feet, like Harvey’s answer was a foregone conclusion.

Of course it was.

Harvey nodded, getting to his feet. They walked back down the hallway to the elevator, Harvey reaching out and pressing the call button. But as they waited Harvey realized he didn’t want to go out, not really. So he turned to Mike and said, “We could do delivery instead. Maybe watch a movie or something…?”

Mike nodded happily. Harvey turned and they headed back down the hallway, Mike trailing behind. He unlocked the door, letting them both in, and with Mike there the apartment didn’t feel so large and empty anymore.


	74. the exception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> set in some vague AU where Mike still left work but was never with Rachel and hence never left Brooklyn ... idek you guys just go with me on it :O)

Stella is, in a word, perfect.

Harvey meets her at one of those boring fundraisers Jessica makes him attend in order to present the firm in a good light and support a good cause. His own reasons for attending are usually less altruistic - split fairly evenly between wanting to help Jessica/find a new client and wanting to find someone pretty and interesting enough to end the evening with.

Granted, it’s not the best aspect of his personality but at least he’s honest about it.

Stella works at the Met, the location of said fundraising party. She’s a curator in the Modern and Contemporary Art wing, and their conversation starts when they heartily disagree over the merits of Henri Matisse, and it’s her refusal to back down, her passion and conviction, that intrigues him most.

He suggests they continue the debate over dinner and she accepts.

If Harvey had ever imagined a perfect woman - which he hasn’t, because he’s not a twelve year old fantasising about a big white wedding to the person of their dreams, and he never has been - but if he had, Stella would fit the bill. She’s everything he’s always wanted. She’s beautiful, poised, intelligent, confident, great in bed, strong willed, financially well off, bold, witty…

She’s perfect for Harvey.

So why doesn’t he feel anything?

It’s not that he doesn’t like her or isn’t attracted to her. He is, on both counts. He likes her a great deal. But that’s it. He isn’t falling head first in love, he doesn’t think about her all the time, he doesn’t feel anything he thought he’d feel when he met the so called right person.

She’s amazing and he really likes her and it’s just not  _enough_.

They see each other for nearly a month before she calls it off. It’s only fair, she says. She can’t keep waiting around, hoping Harvey will feel something he’s clearly never going to. She doesn’t appear truly upset or heartbroken, she just smiles sadly and kisses him goodbye.

Two days later he goes to Mike’s place, because it’s Sunday and Sunday nights are ‘Harvey and Mike are actual friends who hang out on a weekly basis’ time. It wasn’t planned or anything, but when Mike left Pearson Specter and they didn’t see each other at work every day they had to make an effort to still see each other. Sunday nights were just easier for both of them, and it became a thing; dinners out, movie nights at home, trips to the theatre and cinema. It’s not binding - they’ve both had to cancel from time to time for work emergencies that just couldn’t wait - but it’s a standing engagement, one Harvey always looks forward to.

Tonight they’re meeting at Mike’s, doing take out and a movie. They’ve been working their way through the Hitchcock oeuvre, chronologically of course, and tonight it’s  _Strangers on a Train_  and  _I Confess_. Harvey arrives with bags of Chinese in hand, not even bothering to knock, just walking straight in to the tiny and shabby Brooklyn apartment that Harvey has tried for years to get him to move out of.

(He doesn’t really try that hard anymore. There’s something warm and comforting about it, but he can’t let Mike know that, so now he just says the words out of habit.)

Mike greets him with a wide smile, meeting Harvey in the kitchen and pulling out bowls to pour their dinner into. He’s already got the movie ready to go, so they collapse on the couch, eating and watching a great film.

But as the evening progresses, Harvey just can’t get the Stella thing out of his head. It’s a constant tickle in the back of his mind, a puzzle that needs to be solved. He doesn’t really pay that much attention to the film, just sinks back into the comfortable couch and tries to work it out.

He knows it wasn’t really anything to do with her. She was great, perfect even. It was him. He didn’t let her in. It’s no great secret that Harvey has trust issues, that he does everything in his power to keep people out. He doesn’t have walls, he has fortresses and armed battlements, and it’s entirely his choice to let someone into the keep. He didn’t do that with Stella. He didn’t even feel inclined to try.

There are but a handful of people Harvey has let in. They are people who earned his trust, people who stuck around long enough for Harvey to learn to trust them. Not many people do that. They all run too soon, like Stella, like every person before her.

Except for Mike.

And now Harvey can’t help wondering how things would have gone with him and Mike if they’d met another way. If they met at some party and started dating, would Mike have stuck around long enough for Harvey to trust him? Or would he leave too?

Harvey is genuinely upset by the idea.

"Hey, you okay?" Mike asks, face etched with concern, bringing Harvey out of his reverie.

Harvey has an amazing poker face, most of the time at least, so it must be failing pretty spectacularly if the way Mike is looking at him is any indication. He’s looking at him like he can see how upset the idea of Harvey not having this, not having Mike, is making him. He’s looking at him like Harvey is exhibiting every emotion he’s currently feeling because there are no barriers between them.

"I trust you," Harvey says on a deep exhale, like the admission if physically exhausting.

"I know you do," Mike says hesitantly, clearly confused by this non-sequitur.

"No, Mike, you don’t get it. I  _trust_  you. I don’t trust anyone, but I trust  _you_. It’s just … I met this woman, and she was perfect, okay? Perfect. But I couldn’t let her in. I can’t let  _anyone_  in. Except, it seems, for you. From the day we met I … it’s like you are the exception to every rule I have and, yeah, that kinda terrifies me, but mostly it just makes me so fucking grateful that I found you. That you found me. That you got me to trust you. Because I do. I trust you. I love you.”

Mike, who had been looking evenly at Harvey throughout this whole speech, continues to just sit there and stare at him, deathly still. After what feels like a lifetime he very carefully puts his drink aside and then turns on the couch to face Harvey.

"Okay, just to be clear here. Are you saying you love me in a ‘platonic bffs’ kind of way or a ‘get married, have lots of sex and babies’ way?"

Harvey leans forward and kisses him, a simple pressing of lips that shouldn’t have his heart racing, and yet, there it goes beating at a million miles an hour anyway. He can feel Mike’s lips press back against his for a moment before Mike pulls back. He looks at Harvey then, like he’s assessing him, looking for something. He must find it, whatever it is, because then they’re kissing again, and it’s like the urgency has been turned up to eleven.

Mike pulls at Harvey’s t-shirt, and they break away long enough to divest each other of their tees and then it’s all too easy for Harvey to push Mike down onto the couch, kissing him like his life was devoid of all meaning until this moment.

It’s quick and dirty, Harvey’s mouth on Mike’s neck, Mike’s hands on Harvey’s ass, kisses that steal the air from their lungs, hands unzipping jeans and pushing down strong thighs. Harvey rocks against Mike and it’s perfect, the warmth of Mike’s skin, the slide of their cocks, Mike’s hand grasping at his back for purchase, the sounds that escape Mike’s throat. But he needs more, needs  _now_ , so he slips a hand between them, taking Mike in hand. It’s all energy and want and he can tell from Mike’s shortening breath that he’s close. But then Mike bats his hand away, and too startled to do anything else Harvey acquiesces.

Mike wraps a hand around him then and Harvey can’t help but thrust into his hand, to scrape his teeth lightly against Mike shoulder. He wants nothing more than this, the two of them, always. He kisses Mike, and while the younger man is distracted he gets his hand back around Mike’s cock. They’re both breathless, faces pressed together as they get each other off, and after they both come Harvey collapses onto Mike, his face buried in the crook of his neck.

"Does that answer your question?" he mumbles into Mike’s skin.

He feels more than hears Mike’s chuckle, just as he can hear rather than see the grin on Mike’s face when he replies with, “More or less.”


	75. Chapter 75

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://specterizedmoved.tumblr.com/post/72061840888/x) gifset.

"Well this is embarrassing."

Harvey stills at the sound of Mike’s voice. He’s surprised, maybe even a little uncertain, but then he looks up from the contract he’s working on and Mike’s standing there, grinning at him. Harvey sits back in the chair, unable to help the small smile that his lips form. He hasn’t seen Mike in weeks. They’ve had a few texts and emails, but it’s not the same. He’s missed him.

Not that he’ll ever admit that to Mike.

"Here I was thinking I could take you out to dinner, but look." Mike waves an arm to indicate his person, and that’s when Harvey notices.

"You’re wearing a vest," Harvey points out.

Mike gives him a look like  _welcome to the party so glad you could join us_. “Yes, I’m wearing a vest. You’re wearing a vest. We cannot go out in matching suits.”

Harvey chuckles. “Since when do you care about appearances?”

"I don’t. But I know you do."

Harvey is touched by that, despite how unnecessary it is. Yes, Harvey cares about appearances, as well he should. But it’s different now. Mike isn’t another him, he’s no longer a reflection of Harvey in a professional sense. And the truth is, it’s Mike; if Harvey was in his best suit and Mike was in ratty jeans and a t-shirt he’d still be okay being seen together like that.

"It’s fine, Mike."

"No, it’s not. Hmmm … what to do? Oh, I know," Mike says brightly. "Come here."

Harvey raises an eyebrow in silent question, but Mike makes an aggressive  _come here_  gesture that is so funny Harvey can’t help but obey. But what he doesn’t expect, never in a million years saw coming, is that when he stops in front of Mike that Mike would start unbuttoning his vest.

"What are you doing?" Harvey asks, voice suddenly hoarse.

"Changing the way you look so we don’t match," Mike replies, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Mike’s nimble fingers trail down his stomach, slowly undoing each button, and Harvey feels breathless. “And why couldn’t you change the way  _you_  look?”

Mike just grins, pushing the vest from Harvey’s body. He flings the material uncaringly onto the couch before returning his attention to Harvey. He then raises his hands to the knot of Harvey’s tie, slowly undoing it. He keeps his gaze locked on Harvey, and Harvey cannot look away. He really should stop staring, because the longer he looks at Mike in the low light of his office the more he  _wants_ , and that’s something he tries his hardest to never think about. It takes forever for Mike to remove the tie from around his neck, but even once it’s gone, lost to the ether, Mike doesn’t move away, he doesn’t stop staring into Harvey’s eyes.

They’re so close. It would be the work of a moment to reach out and touch him like Harvey so desperately wants to. And for the first time, he really lets himself consider the possibility that Mike wants him to too. Because Mike isn’t moving away, in fact, he’s moving imperceptibly closer. All the willpower Harvey has melts from his body and he lets his hands rest on Mike’s stomach, fingers lightly grasping the centre of Mike’s vest, holding him near.

"Or, you know, we could just eat in at my place," Harvey suggests in a breathless whisper.

Mike nods, not just once, he keeps nodding until Harvey closes the gap between them and kisses him. Mike doesn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms around Harvey’s shoulders, pressing their bodies closer. Harvey deepens the kiss and everything is warm and wet and right and he doesn’t even care that they’re doing this in his office, he just cares that they are doing it at all.

When they finally come up for air, what feels like a lifetime later, Mike lightly touches his hand to Harvey’s cheek. “Or we could just skip dinner entirely.”

Harvey doesn’t need telling twice. He links their fingers together and leads Mike from the office, leaving his discarded suit pieces behind.


	76. like a life of loving you

Mike is bored.

This contract is quite possibly the most dry, boring, soul crushing document he’s ever had the displeasure to work on. And he’s been working on it for hours now.

Every half hour or so he’ll make a complaint to Harvey, who sits beside him on the couch as he goes through his own tedious document (bi-laws, ugh so boring), the complaints getting more halfhearted as he goes along because Harvey has absolutely no sympathy for him.

When Mike says, “I’m so bored,” Harvey replies with an absent, “Don’t care.”

When Mike complains, “Why am I stuck with this boring contract?” Harvey replies with an automatic, “Because it’s your job.”

When Mike suggests, “Hey let’s take a break for a minute,” Harvey replies with an exasperated, “Get back to work.”

When Mike asks, “Can I work on something else please,” Harvey replies with a short, “No.”

When Mike demands, “Give me something fun to do,” Harvey replies with, “Like a life of loving you.”

Mike looks up from his contract, his face full of amused confusion. Harvey doesn’t seem to have noticed anything amiss, because he’s still just working away like he didn’t just say that.

"Uh, Harvey," Mike says, on the verge of laughter because he can’t believe that a) Harvey just said that, and b) that he hasn’t even realized yet.

"What?" Harvey asks, exasperated, actually looking up from his paperwork this time. He takes in Mike’s smiling face, furrowing his brow in confusion.

Mike doesn’t say anything, because even though Harvey doesn’t have his eidetic memory he still has a damn good one, and he knows Harvey will eventually get there. Plus, it’s more fun watching Harvey work it out himself, and Mike can tell the exact moment Harvey remembers because his entire face changes. There’s a moment, just a flash, of embarrassment before he schools his features into wearied indifference.

"It’s just a song lyric, Mike."

"Uh huh, sure it is," Mike says, amused.

"It is," Harvey insists indignantly. "It’s just a quirk of the brain, automatically completing a half finished lyric. You of all people should understand that. It doesn’t mean anything."

"Are you sure you’re not just using that as a cover because you really want to confess your undying love for me but just can’t quite find the words…"

Mike can’t get anything else out because he’s laughing, and the best part is that Harvey chuckles along. Mike loves that he and Harvey can tease and bait each other without it getting weird. It’s one of his favorite things about their relationship. And even though Harvey will never admit it Mike knows he feels the same way, that he appreciates that Mike can keep up with him and give as good as he gets.

"Okay, smartass," Harvey eventually says with a smile bordering on fond, "get back to work."

Mike does, but only for a minute. It’s too good of an opportunity to let pass. “Soooo, what’s the next line of the song?”

"Nope, not telling," Harvey replies, not even looking up from his work.

"Come on, you know I can just google it anyway." And he gets out his phone to press the point.

"Okay, okay," Harvey relents.

Mike grins, victorious, but when Harvey puts his pen down and looks up at Mike he doesn’t say anything. So Mike prompts him by starting it off himself. “Give me something fun to do, like a life of loving you…”

"Kiss me quick now baby, I’m still crazy over you," Harvey replies in an even tone.

Mike is unprepared for that in every sense of the word. He just keeps looking at Harvey, because all the money in the world wouldn’t make him look away now, and Harvey, incredibly, keeps their gazes locked. Mike swallows, nervous. He’s suddenly aware of how close they are to each other on the couch, a proximity that is so common these days it usually goes unnoticed. His heart pounds hard in his chest and the want that Mike feels for Harvey every waking moment of the day takes control. He asks Harvey to say it again, barely recognizing his own voice, thick with desire.

When Harvey obeys, his words are low, rough. “Kiss me quick now, baby. I’m still crazy over you.”

Mike kisses him then, because how could he not. In the three years they’ve worked together there has never been a more opportune moment and Mike can’t not take it. And Harvey kisses him back, their lips moving effortlessly against each other. But then Harvey pulls away, eyes glancing beyond Mike to the glass wall of his office and beyond.

"We can’t, Mike. We’re at work."

"Don’t care. And it’s late, no one is here anyway. Now kiss me quick Harvey, because I am crazy over you."

And Harvey does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that is a real song. It's called Something in the Water by Brooke Fraser. It might not exactly be Harvey's taste but just ignore that lol.


	77. Chapter 77

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://pearsonspecterlitt.tumblr.com/post/88731991228) gifset/scene from 4x01.

Two days later, when Mike arrives for work, there are a dozen long-stemmed roses sitting on his desk is a round, glass vase.

He moves into his office, putting his briefcase down on a chair and leaning closer to the flowers. No note.

"They came this morning," Amy says from the doorway. "No note, no message, and the delivery man was surprisingly resistant to bribery."

Mike chuckles.

"Do you know who they’re from?"

Mike looks back to the flowers, reaching out to lightly touch the petals. “I have an idea.”

Amy leaves as silently as she arrived, and Mike sits down at his desk, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket. He texts Harvey:  _thanks, asshole._

The reply is immediate:  _I have no idea what you’re talking about._

"Sure you don’t," Mike says to the empty office, but he puts his phone aside and gets back to work.

(Later he will wonder if it’s weird that his first thought was Harvey and not Rachel.)

*

The next day there are more flowers. This time it’s a sheaf of oriental lilies in clear cellophane wrapping. They arrive after lunch, and Amy brings them into the office with a smile.

"Someone should tell your secret admirer that you have a girlfriend."

Mike looks up and sees the flowers, chuckling. “Somehow I think they already know.”

"So who is it?"

"Can you find a vase for them," Mike says instead, because for some reason he can’t bring himself to say _it’s just my ex-boss slash ex-lawyer messing with me._

"You will tell me soon," Amy promises.

"Uh huh, sure," Mike replies, already focused back on his laptop. Amy leaves the flowers on his desk and the scent is more distracting than he would like to admit.

*

More flowers arrive the next day. And the next, and the next, and the next. There are orange tulips in a white box, multi-colour gerberas in glass box, red roses and blue irises, sunflowers, daisies, lilies, and different combinations of all of the above.

They don’t stop coming, for weeks, for so long that Amy stops asking who they are from, for so long that Mike has no idea what Harvey is even thinking any more.

The flowers just keep coming.

*

Nineteen days after the first bunch of flowers arrived Mike finds himself at Pearson Specter. The meeting goes about as well as expected, with Jessica having to call time out because Harvey and Mike end up screaming across the table at each other. Mike will never be able to forget how it feels, standing on the opposite side of the conference room table from Harvey, out of breath, chest sore from yelling and hurting and being so fucking angry that Harvey isn’t on his side like he should be. He just looks at Harvey, desperate to know how they got here, where it all went wrong.

In that moment he hates and misses Harvey in equal measure.

Jessica kicks Harvey out of the meeting and things continue at a slightly more civil, if still tense, pace. The meeting ends in a stalemate, big surprise, and Mike leaves the room as soon as he’s able.

Rachel’s at school today, he should just leave, but of course he finds himself heading to Harvey’s office. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do when he gets there - scream and throw things, probably - but perhaps fortunately for Harvey’s office it’s empty when Mike arrives.

"Meeting went well, I see," Donna says, smirking.

And suddenly Mike is just so tired. Clearly things with him and Harvey are never going to be like they were. It’s taken him longer than is probably necessary for him to get it but he does now.

They’re over. He and Harvey are over.

"Look," Mike says, resigned, "can you just stop it with the flowers please. Enough is enough."

"What’re you talking about," Donna says, and Mike knows her, knows her tricks and feints, knows when she’s pretending or lying or covering. And she’s not.

"It wasn’t you?" he asks, because let’s be honest, if Harvey was instituting a long-con prank that involved the delivery of flowers then of course Donna would be the one to actually order them.

"What wasn’t me?" Donna asks, confused and slightly intrigued, and Mike is at a complete loss.

"Never mind. Goodbye, Donna," he says.

"Goodbye?" Donna says, standing from her desk. "Not  _bye_  or  _see you later_  or something? Are you actually saying goodbye to me?”

Mike nods, but doesn’t say it again, he just walks away.

*

It’s nearly ten pm and Mike is still in his office when he gets the text from Harvey.

_We need to talk. Can we meet somewhere?_

Mike stares at the message for a good two minutes, weighing his options before he replies.  _Where? When?_

Harvey’s reply is instant.  _DiCaprios. Now._

A small smile lights up Mike’s face. The first time Harvey took Mike to dinner, not long before he left, Harvey rattled off a list of names that Mike assumed were meant to be expensive and trendy restaurants. Mike had basically just said  _yeah, no, that’s not going to happen_  and they ended up at DiCaprios, a family Italian restaurant in Little Italy with paper on the tables and cheap pizza. It was awesome.

By the time Mike’s town car pulls up, the restaurant is closed and Harvey is standing outside with two coffee cups in hand. Mike approaches him gingerly, murmuring a quiet  _thank you_  as he takes one of the drinks from Harvey’s outstretched hand.

"Come on, let’s sit," Harvey says.

They head for the small square across the road, sitting on a bench beneath a large green tree. Mike slowly sips his coffee: it’s perfect, just how he likes it.

"We’re gonna get through this, Mike," Harvey says, and it’s so not what Mike expected to hear coming out of Harvey’s mouth.

Mike scoffs. “Are we?”

"Yes," Harvey says, emphatic. "This case will be over and you and me are going to be okay."

"How?" Mike demands. "How are we gonna be okay after this? We can’t go back, Harvey."

"No, we can’t. So we move forward. Look, Mike, I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry that we ended up here. But the truth is - and you’re never gonna hear me admit this again, so enjoy it - I miss having you in my life. So after all this is over, we’re going to move forward, whether it’s as friends or a lawyer/client or both is up to you."

"Harvey, from the day we met I’ve wanted us to be friends."

"And we are."

Mike sits back on the bench, slumping down slightly. “I really want this to be over.”

"It will be. Soon."

Harvey sounds a little too certain for Mike’s liking, and bells start going off in his mind. “Why? What do you know?”

Harvey rolls his eyes. “Nothing, jeez. I’m not hiding anything from you.”

"Uh huh."

"Trust me," Harvey says, before squeezing his shoulder and standing, heading to the curb. He sticks out an arm and a cab appears like magic.

"Hey, Harvey," Mike says, standing from the bench and taking a step closer. Harvey halts beside the open door. "The flowers, they were from you, weren’t they?"

Harvey nods.

"Why?"

Harvey just smiles at him before wordlessly sliding into the cab. Mike can see the ghost of a smile on Harvey’s face through the window before the cab drives away.

 *

The next day there are a bunch of long stemmed roses waiting on his desk when he arrives at work. There’s a note this time, and Mike pulls out the small white card from the envelope.

_Because I care about you. H._

Mike smiles. Maybe they will be okay after all.


	78. Chapter 78

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://stevsrogrs.tumblr.com/post/89380543069) gif from 4x02.

"Did you ever think we’d end up here?"

Harvey takes a moment to consider his reply. He looks over Mike’s shoulder, his expression fading into something slightly melancholy, and he eventually answers with a careful, “No. Never in a million years. But, there is something somewhat inexorable about it too.”

"How so?" Mike asks, confused.

Harvey looks back to Mike then. Mike can’t help but wonder how many times he and Harvey have sat across from each other in Harvey’s office like this. If his brain hasn’t kept count the number must be significant.

"What, are we going to talk about feelings now?" Harvey deadpans, in that same tone he’s always used and that Mike misses more than he can say. Now all he gets from Harvey is hard edges and dismissive intonation.

"What else are we going to talk about? The case? No, Harvey, I’m here to talk about feelings because when it comes to you, to  _us_ , I have nothing  _but_  feelings. And it’s fucking with my job - my  _life -_  so yes Harvey, please, tell me your fucking feelings.”

Harvey lets out a deep sigh, shifts back in his chair, probably regretting that he agreed to this late night meeting. But he had, and Mike thinks (okay, hopes) he knows why. For the same reason that Mike called it in the first place. Because being on opposite sides is awful and wrong and he just wanted one moment of peace between them.

"You and I," Harvey starts, and Mike can’t deny he’s slightly shocked that Harvey is actually giving in to his demand, "how we met, our secret, how we worked together, our relationship - everything about how we existed in relation to each other - it wasn’t sustainable."

Mike strenuously wants to object but he can tell Harvey isn’t finished so he remains silent.

"Something was always going to give sooner or later," Harvey continues. "There were a few options about how all this could’ve ended. I just never predicted this one."

"So how did you predict the demise of our old relationship?" Mike asks, not a little bitterly. Harvey just told him he always expected them to, for lack of a better term, break apart. He thinks he’s entitled to some bitterness.

"Not like this," is all Harvey will say. And then he just looks at Mike, his face somehow completely blank and full of pain all at once. Mike just stares back, waits for this to make sense, and then it hits him.

 _Oh_.

But, no, that can’t be right. Harvey’s not saying that he thought their relationship would change because it would evolve into the opposite of the antagonistic bullshit they’ve got going on at the moment. He’s not saying their old relationship wasn’t sustainable because it was bound to get a touch too personal. He’s not, right?

"Harvey-"

"You should go," Harvey cuts him off quickly, looking vaguely embarrassed, caught out. "Big meeting tomorrow."

Mike decides to ignore the lessons Harvey himself taught him - press where it hurts - because he can’t do that to someone he cares about. It’s always been his problem, really. “Yeah,” Mike agrees, “against this real asshole.”

Harvey smiles softly. “I’m sure he thinks the same about you.”

They smile at each other for a moment. It’s just like old times. But then the moment passes, and the present day comes crashing back in. Mike nods, stands, heads out of the office. But he can’t leave it like this.

"Harvey."

Mike waits for Harvey to look at him, which takes longer than it probably should.

"Maybe you’re right, maybe we were never going to remain boss and subordinate forever. But whatever happens tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that, you and I aren’t over. I told you once that I’m not giving you up. And I meant it."

The brief flash of smile Harvey gives Mike just before he leaves will stay with him for a very long time.


	79. Chapter 79

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://-specter.tumblr.com/post/89930121018) gifset/scene from 4x03.

Harvey spends a good ten minutes just staring at the tapes in his hands.

They’re really here, he really has them. Tangible memories of his dad are few and far between now, but this, finally having these tapes, being able to hear his dad whenever he wants for the first time in years, means the world.

When he eventually stands up to pack them back away he notices a white sheet of paper lying innocuously at the bottom of the box. Curious, he picks it up and unfolds it.

_You know I never would have done anything to these. And I’m so sorry I took them from you. I’d ask if maybe, once this is all over, we could listen to them together, but the truth is I don’t know when this will end, and if we’ll ever be okay again._  
 _You didn’t make me, Harvey. You found me, you helped me, and no matter what I’ll always be grateful for that.  
_ _M_

Harvey’s first instinct is to pick up the phone and call, to tell Mike he’s sorry, to promise that he’ll cut Logan loose and swear that they’ll be fine. It’s fleeting but overwhelming in its intensity, and his hand is halfway to his phone before he remembers himself.

For better or worse, this is where they are now. And nothing is going to change that.

So he puts the tapes away, picks up the box and heads home.

*

It takes two years.

Not the case, the case takes another month from that day. But it takes two years for Harvey and Mike to be okay, to mend their bridges, to forgive each other and move on.

Two years of anguish, of lashing out, of hurting each other because that’s all they know how to do now. The world moves on without them - Donna falls in love and is married within two months, Louis gets his name on the door, Rachel leaves Mike and moves into an apartment near school (at which she is top of her class), Jessica is offered a judgeship - and Harvey and Mike are both painfully stuck.

Harvey hates the feeling of inertia that has permeated his life. But it’s been so long, and the hurt runs so deep, he doesn’t know how to fix this, how to fix them, if Mike even wants to anymore.

Life has gone downhill fast, and Donna’s not here to whip him into shape when he needs it, and even though he’s technically still excelling in his job it just feels so empty.

Everything just feels so empty.

It takes two years, and it’s not Harvey that finds the courage, but Mike. He turns up on Harvey’s doorstep one evening, wearing jeans and a hoodie and an anxious expression. Harvey is rendered speechless. Mike hasn’t shown up here for over a year, and they haven’t seen each other at all for nearly four months. And yet, here he is.

"So, I was thinking…" Mike says.

"Yes?" Harvey asks, apprehensive and cautious and maybe just a tiny bit hopeful.

"Do you wanna listen to your dad’s masters?"

Harvey moves aside and lets him in. Mike doesn’t leave for three days.


	80. Chapter 80

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: a day at the beach/beach house

"So, here’s a question," Mike says as he enters the house, spinning in a circle to take in all the details.

"Yes?" Harvey asks, wearied, because he’s just endured a five hour flight of incessant questions and he just wants to sleep.

"Why on earth do you have a house in California when you, and I quote,  _fucking hate California_?”

Harvey collapses onto the couch. It’s surprisingly comfortable. “Because it’s a good investment. And I figured Jessica would send me to the west coast at some point for work and I hate hotels.”

Mike wanders over to the windows, looks out at the waves crashing onto the sand. It’s a cool winter day, the beach is empty, and it’s amazingly beautiful.

"So how long have you had this place then?"

"Five years."

"And how many times have you stayed here?"

"This would be the first."

Mike looks back at Harvey, surprised. “Really?”

There’s something about the way Mike says the word, mischievous and pleased, that makes Harvey nervous. Mike grins, and yup, Harvey was right, Mike is up to something. He kicks off his shoes, unzips his hoodie and slides it off his shoulders (the heathen wore jeans and a hoodie in first class - Harvey tried to pretend he didn’t know Mike but that didn’t last long).

"What are you doing?" Harvey asks, voice thick.

Mike stalks over to him. “What does it look like?” he asks as he shucks off his t-shirt. He lowers himself into Harvey’s lap, kissing him deeply.

It takes Harvey longer than it should to break the kiss. “Mike,” Harvey says, hating how rough his voice sounds. “We shouldn’t…”

"I know," Mike says, kissing Harvey again. "You say that every time. And you always give in." He kisses his way down Harvey’s neck. "Give in to me, Harvey. Stop fighting this…."

There’s a reason Harvey objects every time this happens. It’s an abuse of his power, their lives are complicated enough, he doesn’t want to hurt Mike when this inevitably implodes because he just can never seem to make a relationship last. But the fact of the matter is, despite his declarations that this won’t happen again, it does. It keeps happening. He can’t stop, and he’s getting to the point where he doesn’t want to fight it anymore.

Mike kisses his mouth and Harvey wraps his arms around him, pressing them closer together. Mike moans in approval, moving his hips against him.

"Come on," Mike says, grinning against his mouth, "let’s go christen the bedroom."


	81. Chapter 81

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: kindergarten teacher!Mike to Donna’s kid who thinks Harvey is the hot dad/husband

It was a Wednesday, which means the brightest, most curious and outgoing member of his class - Felicity - will be picked up by her insanely hot dad.

Mike wants to go and hide in a closet.

But no, that would be unprofessional. So he sucks it up, and hopes that today will be just like every other Wednesday, where Felicity’s dad arrives and leaves in the space of a minute without saying a word to him. Because Lord knows, if he started speaking to Mike, Mike could not be held accountable for his actions.

But pick up time comes and goes, and Felicity is the last one left. Her dad is never late, and she knows that, looking up at Mike, worried.

"Hey," he says, putting an arm around her. "I’m sure he’s just running late. Hmmm … should be draw him a picture for when he gets here?"

Felicity agrees, red hair flowing with her enthusiastic nod. They’re sitting down at one of the kids tables (sitting in those tiny chairs will never cease to feel awkward) and drawing away when, ten minutes later, hot dad finally arrives.

Felicity grins, abandoning her drawing as she runs over to him, screaming, “Uncle Harvey!”

And, hold on,  _Uncle_  Harvey. Not daddy? Mike is thoroughly confused as he watches hot dad (okay, not hot dad, hot Harvey) pick Felicity up with a, “Hey, Flick.”

"Sorry I’m late," Harvey says to Mike over Felicity’s shoulder.

"No, no it’s fine," Mike stumbles.

Harvey just looks at him for a moment. “Something wrong?”

"No. I just, I thought Felicity was your daughter."

Harvey laughs. “No, she’s my best friend’s daughter. Donna can’t make it here on time on Wednesday’s so I come and collect my absolutely most favourite god-daughter in the whole wide world,” he says, the latter half of the sentence said more to Felicity as he tickles her tummy.

"Oh, okay. Good," Mike says.

"Good?" Harvey asks with a knowing smirk.

Mike returns the grin. “Yeah. Good.”


	82. Chapter 82

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Mike and Harvey are about to have another argument when Harvey notices how Mike got beaten up again

Harvey walks into Sidwell Investment Group, entirely bypassing reception and heading straight to Mike’s office. He’s fuming. Mike got one up on him, yet again, and he’s had enough. They need to end this, now. If Mike doesn’t give up then Harvey will have no choice but to take him down, and at this point, he won’t hesitate.

"Mike’s not available," Amy says when she sees him approaching.

"It’s cute that you think I care," Harvey tells her as he bursts into Mike’s office. "Okay, Mike, we need to settle this now. I’m willing to offer-"

Harvey stops abruptly when Mike looks up at him from his desk. He looks pale, drawn, and there is a particularly dark shadow around his left eye. Harvey steps closer - the office is dark, he could be mistaken - but when he gets closer he realises it’s true, Mike has a black eye and a cut lip.

"What happened to you?" Harvey asks, urgently.

"Nothing," Mike says. "I’m fine."

Harvey just rolls his eyes. “Mike, I have two eyes, you’re not fine.”

"Please, just let it go," Mike asks, collapsing back into his chair.

"When have you ever known me to let something go?" Harvey counters.

"Why do you even care?" Mike exclaims, standing from the desk and heading over to the windows. "You’re here to beat me to the ground, metaphorically speaking. Why do you care if someone got to me in the literal sense?"

Harvey sighs. He fucking hates everything right now. This isn’t how their lives should be. All too recently they were on the same side, doing anything and everything they could to help and defend each other. And now Mike thinks that Harvey won’t even care that he was attacked.

Harvey wants a goddamn do-over.

He joins Mike by the window. The view isn’t as nice as the one from his own office, but it’s not bad.

"Mike, I know this case fucked us up. And I’m sorry about that. But if you don’t know that beneath all the bullshit and anger that I still care about you then I don’t know what to tell you."

"I do still know it," Mike immediately replies. He turns to Harvey then. "That’s what makes it so bad. We’re so good at hurting each other  _because_  we care about each other so much.”

Harvey doesn’t know what to say to that. What can he say? It’s the truth, no point denying it. But that doesn’t change anything. “I don’t know how to fix this,” Harvey admits.

"Me neither."

Harvey takes a step closer, lifting his hand to Mike’s cheek. Mike remains still until Harvey’s fingertips make contact with his skin, and he flinches from the pain.

"Whoever did this, I could make them pay."

Mike smiles faintly. “I know.”

Harvey drops his hand and leaves the office without a word. When he gets back to Pearson Specter he tells Jessica that she needs to take over the case. When she asks why, he says, “Because some things are more important than winning.”


	83. Chapter 83

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: one of them loves the World Cup and the other one hates it

"You want to what now?"

"I want to leave work early to watch the World Cup." At Harvey’s blank looks Mike elaborates with, "Soccer."

"Oh," Harvey says, nodding with understanding. "No."

"C’mon Harvey," Mike whines, falling into the chair dramatically. "I’ve missed all the other games because of work, but this is America versus Belgium. If we win we make it into the quarter finals. The  _quarters_ , Harvey.”

Harvey just looks at him, completely indifferent.

"How can you not care about this?" Mike exclaims. "You love sports. How many times have you told me that goddamn Stanley Cup story?"

"Would you like me to tell it again?" Harvey asks with a smirk.

"Oh dear God, no," Mike groans.

They just sit there for a moment, Mike with a pleading look on his face, until Harvey finally relents. “Fine, if you get all your work done you’re free to go.”

Mike jumps up, pumping the air with his fist. “Best boss ever,” Mike says excitedly as he heads towards the door. “You’re awesome. Won’t let you down.”

Harvey watches Mike walk down the hallway, practically dancing with excitement, and he can’t help but smile fondly.

*

When Harvey walks into their apartment Mike is yelling at the TV.

"Game going well then?" Harvey asks with a smirk as he shucks off his jacket.

"I swear this ref is completely blind."

"Sure he is," Harvey says neutrally, walking over and kissing Mike hello. He kicks off his shoes and collapses onto the couch beside him. The coffee table is covered in chips and candies, with one empty and one full beer bottle. Harvey picks up Mike’s drink and takes a swig. "So who’s winning?"

"It’s a draw."

"So clearly I didn’t miss anything…" Harvey says with an eye-roll.

"Are you kidding? You missed Howard making an amazing save and Dempsey - oh for fuck’s sake open your eyes!" Mike screams at the television as … something happens on field.

"What are your thoughts on pizza for dinner?" Harvey asks as he stands.

"Uh huh, sounds good," Mike says absently, eyes focused on the screen.

Harvey chuckles, walking to their bedroom to change. He orders dinner when he’s done, and sits beside Mike on the couch until it arrives, half his attention on the television and the other half on his phone where he reads through the New York Times. But when dinner arrives the second half has just started, and since he’s using his hands to eat he can’t distract himself with his phone so ends up watching it. And when America scores a goal ten minutes later, he’s on his feet before Mike is, screaming with joy.

The second half is tense, and Harvey becomes glued to the game. America wins, and they both jump and scream in celebration.

When they eventually crawl into bed, Mike says, “Thanks for letting me leave early today.” He punctuates the statement with a kiss.

"You’re welcome," Harvey tells him.

"And hey, maybe you can watch the whole game with me next time," Mike suggests with a grin.

"Maybe…" 


	84. Chapter 84

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Mike agreeing to move in and Harvey flipping out over how nothing Mike owns matches his apartment

Harvey doesn’t say anything. His face is set to a permanent scowl, because he is nowhere near as subtle as he thinks he is, and in the end Mike lets out a resigned sigh and says, “Just say it.”

"Say what?" Harvey asks, all innocence.

Mike collapses into the nearest chair and runs a hand over his face. He’s exhausted, it’s been a long day, and he really does not have the energy for this.

"You hate everything I bought with me."

"I don’t hate them," Harvey says. At Mike’s raised eyebrow Harvey elaborates, "But your furniture just … doesn’t match … anything."

It’s not that Mike disagrees. Harvey is right; Mike’s stuff so does not match Harvey’s furniture  _or_  his apartment. But he’d had most of this stuff for years before he even met Harvey, and he is actually kind of attached to his couch that dips in the middle and his table with drink stains and the panda print his Grammy gave to him.

"Yeah, well, I’ve always hated your couch," Mike says petulantly.

"No you haven’t," Harvey says with a smirk.

Mike lets out a light chuckle. “Okay, I do have some fond memories of it,” he admits with a smile, thinking back to the night they got together and all the things they did on said couch.

Harvey steps forward, sinking to his knees between Mike’s legs. He puts his hands on Mike’s thighs, rubs them soothingly.

"What do we do?"

"Honestly?" Mike asks. Harvey nods, so Mike says, "I want to live with you. I’m excited to live with you. I’m just not so sure we should be doing it here."

"Okay."

"I mean, it’s not that I don’t love your place. You know I do. It’s just, it’s not  _our_ place, and I think it will always feel more like  _yours_  than  _ours_.”

"Mike, I said okay."

Mike sits up slightly. “Really?”

"Absolutely. We can start looking for somewhere new tomorrow. And in the meantime our apartment will be a mismatch of sleek contemporary and shabby chic."

Mike gasps with fake shock. “I’ll give you shabby chic,” he says threateningly, but doesn’t get any further than that when Harvey cuts him off with kiss.


	85. Chapter 85

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: AU in which Mike and Harvey meet when they reach for the same bag at the airport.

After a long and frankly arduous flight (there was turbulence for a good sixty percent of the flight time) Harvey just wants to get home and sleep for a week. When Jessica sent him to Los Angeles for a case he grumbled but dutifully went. He hated negotiating without home court advantage - not that he couldn’t win without it, though - and everyone in LA just had a completely weird perspective on things and the whole week was basically a nightmare.

Still; he came, he saw, he kicked ass. And now he just wants to go home and fall into bed.

He waits at baggage collection for what feels like forever. Finally his suitcase arrives before him, but when he reaches for it someone snatches it out from under him.

"Um," Harvey says, turning to the thief. "I think that’s mine."

The man laughs, blue eyes lighting up. “Really? Dude, I’m sorry, it looks a lot like mine - though I suppose most black suitcases do, huh? Actually,” the man considers the case more carefully, “no, mine is a bit shabbier around the edges. Here…”

He hands over the case with an easy smile, and Harvey happily accepts it. Only, it’s a lot heavier than he remembers, and when he looks at the luggage tag an unfamiliar name looks back at him.

Feeling ten shades of idiotic, he tries to subtly put it back on the conveyer but the man-child next to him sees and cracks up laughing.

"Don’t say it," Harvey warns.

He holds up his hands in surrender. “Not a word. Soooo … why were you visiting Los Angeles?”

"How do you know I don’t live there and am visiting here?"

The man shrugs. “Call it a hunch. I’m right though, aren’t I?”

"Yes, you are. I was there for work."

"What do you do?"

"I’m a lawyer."

"Dude," he says, wide eyed, "that’s awesome."

Harvey quirks an eyebrow. “That is not the reaction of most people.”

"Yeah, well, most people are idiots."

Harvey smiles, intrigued. “Who are you?” he asks, a slight tone of disbelief and wonder in his voice.

The man laughs, holds out his hand. “Mike.”

Harvey takes it. “Harvey.”

"Good to meet you, Harvey."

Harvey smiles. With one eye on the conveyer he notices his bag go past so he reaches over and grabs it hastily, leaving it at his feet. “So why were you in LA?”

"Uh, well," Mike rubs the back of his neck, "I actually won a trip there."

"You’re kidding," Harvey deadpans.

"I know. I never believed people actually won those things until they called me up."

"So where did you go?"

"Venice Beach, Hollywood, Disneyland…"

"Disneyland? What are you, five?"

"It’s the happiest place on earth, Harvey!" Mike replies, indignant, and Harvey can’t help but laugh.

Mike makes a noise when he spots his own bag, and he grabs at it. At this point Harvey realizes he could’ve left minutes ago but got too caught up talking to Mike. They smile awkwardly at each other and then they start walking out.

"So, where do you live?" Harvey asks.

"Brooklyn. Why, are you going to stalk me down?" Mike asks with a cheeky grin.

"Actually I was going to offer you a ride." Because there’s something about this guy that intrigues him, makes him want to know more, and Harvey is nothing if not a go-getter.

Mike stops walking, shocked. He looks Harvey up and down. Harvey’s still wearing his suit, so he thinks Mike in his ratty jeans and hoodie doesn’t have any place to judge his slightly rumpled clothes. “I’m gonna take a stab in the dark and guess that you live in Manhattan.” Harvey nods. “It’s not exactly in your way.”

Harvey smiles. “I don’t mind the detour.”

Mike grins in return. “Then yes.”

Harvey doesn’t get to bed for a few hours. And even then, it’s not his bed.


	86. Chapter 86

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://gmacht.tumblr.com/post/92122892359) gifset from 4x05.

"I knew you needed something to take your mind off her. But I can see this dinner with me isn’t working…"

A smile slowly stretches across Mike’s face. He’s missed this. He’s missed them, the easy going way they just fit together, the way Harvey could always make him laugh or smile no matter what the circumstances. He’s even missed Harvey being incredibly egotistical twenty-four hours of every day.

Harvey tips his head in Mike’s direction. “There it is.”

"What?"

"Your smile. Haven’t seen that in a long time."

Mike smiles again, because how could he not?

"Oh, there it is again. Jeez, I don’t remember it being this big. Did you get caps put in?"

Mike laughs this time, and emboldened, Harvey keeps going.

"It’s a great smile, I’ll give you that. No wonder Rachel fell for you. You must have all your fellow Investment Wankers falling half in love with you every day. Seriously, I’m finding it difficult to resist your charms. Put it away before I start composing sonnets in your name."

Mike can’t stop laughing, head tipped back, hand across his stomach as it contracts with the movement. Harvey finally stops talking and when Mike eventually sobers, Harvey is just sitting there, looking warmly at Mike, his own smile small but genuine.

"Did it work?" Harvey asks softly.

Mike takes in a deep breath. “Yeah, yeah it worked. Thank you, Harvey.”

"You’re welcome."

*

They have an unspoken rule. Their case is messy and they both toe (and occasionally dip over) the line, but once a week, for three hours on a Thursday night, they call a ceasefire.

Normally it’s dinner. They meet somewhere neither of them have been before, eat and talk for a few hours, leaving all the bullshit of the case at the door. They alternate who pays, usually after goading each other about it being ‘your turn’ - whether it is or not - before bidding each other goodnight and going their separate ways.

This goes on for a month, until the one time Mike calls Harvey on a Saturday and asks if he’s free.

"Is this about the case?" Harvey asks, even though it’s nearly 5pm and he doesn’t actually think it is, but he just needs to ask.

"No. I just … my plans fell through and I thought I’d see if you wanted to do something."

Harvey hesitates. “That’s against the rules, Mike,” he says, even though neither of them had officially agreed to anything, but this is uncharted territory and he wants to make sure that Mike is certain about this.

"I know," Mike says softly. "If you’re busy then-"

"No, I’m not busy. What were you thinking?"

"Movie?"

"Okay."

They meet at the movie theatre, Mike already in line, and make small talk while they wait. Harvey wants to ask what bought this on, but he doesn’t get a chance, because soon they’re at the booth and then they’re in the cinema and the previews are starting and he just sits there in silence, Mike’s arm pressed against his.

Mike suggests a walk after the movie, and Harvey can’t help but indulge him. Nor can he help asking the question that’s been on his mind all night. “So, what’s going on? You avoiding going home or something?”

"No," Mike says, a little too quickly. Harvey looks at him and Mike realises he’s been caught out. "Okay, Rachel is having some friends from Columbia over for a study group. The noise I could deal with. The stories about people I don’t know and events I wasn’t there for and the near constant reminder that this is something I never experienced … that I could live without."

"What, so I was your escape plan. Your distraction?" Harvey asks, aiming for offended but landing somewhere miles off.

Still, Mike looks sheepish as he says, “Yeah, sorry.”

"It’s okay," Harvey says, knocking his shoulder against Mike’s. "Any time."

* 

The case is finally fucking over.

Mike breathes freely for the first time in months. He hasn’t felt this light since … he can’t even remember when. Since before he left Pearson Specter probably. He has a hard time pinpointing the last time he felt like this, which will probably worry him later, but for now all he can focus on is Harvey across the other side of the table, wearing a grin that matches his own.

Jessica clears her throat and they both immediately sober like caught out school boys. Paperwork is signed and hands are shook and everyone - Jessica, Gilles, Logan, Sidwell - slowly files out of the conference room, leaving Harvey and Mike alone.

Mike doesn’t know what to say. He just knows what he wants to do.

"Stand up," Mike says, and Harvey looks surprised and vaguely concerned by Mike’s firm command.

But he stands nevertheless, a confused expression painted on his face. Mike stands and walks around the table and before Harvey can work out what’s happening and object to it, Mike steps into his space and throws his arms around Harvey, hugging him tight.

Harvey doesn’t move, it’s like hugging a statute, but that’s okay, because it’s a better outcome than Mike imagined, which was Harvey immediately shoving him off.

"Never again," Mike says into Harvey’s ear, and he can feel just as much as hear Harvey’s chuckle in response, and Harvey finally returns the embrace, hands briefly resting on Mike’s hips.

Mike steps back, ignoring the slight pang that comes with moving away from Harvey. “Promise me. Promise me we’ll never be on opposite sides again,” Mike says, probably sounding like a five year old but too invested to care. Because he never wants to go through this again.  _Ever_.

"Lawyers don’t make promises, remember," Harvey says, and panic starts setting in. But then Harvey adds, "They make guarantees. And I can  _guarantee_  that I will never let this happen again.”

Mike lets out a breathy laugh, his chest still pounding from the moment of panic. “Asshole,” he says, voice fonder than he intended.

Harvey just grins. “Come on, let’s go celebrate.”

When Rachel calls him three hours later as she’s leaving class, Mike’s halfway to drunk and lounging easily across Harvey’s couch. He tells her what happened and says he and Harvey are celebrating and barely registers the edge in her voice when she says, “You and Harvey are celebrating together. Alone.”

Mike laughs. “How can we be alone if we’re together?”

Rachel asks if he wants her to come get him, and when Mike says no she hangs up without another word. Mike shrugs at the phone, tossing it aside and accepting the drink in Harvey’s outstretched hand.

*

Harvey can sense something afoot with MikeAndRachel. It’s a talent born from the months they danced around each other back in the good old days when Mike was his associate and Harvey’s life made some kind of sense.

He hasn’t seen them together in a while, come to think of it, which is also a flashing neon sign, but he sees them both regularly on an individual basis, and something’s not right. Rachel, while never Harvey’s biggest fan, starts acting cold and detached towards him. He catches her at Donna’s desk more often than normal, the two of them talking, Donna with her  _concerned and caring_  expression. He finds her in tears once, deep in the file room, but when he asks what’s wrong she just says nothing and walks away.

And Mike, Mike is something else entirely. He never talks about Rachel any more, not even to complain about her (which he’s never done before anyway, but if they are fighting or broken up then why isn’t Mike talking to him about it?). Sometimes he looks at Harvey like Harvey is this confusing enigma he wants to figure out. He goes from overly affectionate - touching Harvey’s arm and leaning into his space - to stepping away from Harvey’s presence, taking himself out of arms reach whenever Harvey tries to clap him on the shoulder or simply hand him something.

It goes on like this for weeks, months, with neither Mike nor Rachel providing any explanation, even when asked, so Harvey, unsurprisingly, goes to Donna.

"So have Mike and Rachel broken up or what?" Harvey asks, trying to keep his tone as exasperated and indifferent as possible.

Donna just looks at him for a moment then bursts out laughing. “Oh Harvey, if only you knew.”

"Well, yes, hence me asking."

"It’s not my place," Donna says, looking back to her computer monitor.

"Donna, you never care if something is your place or not. Just tell me."

"Trust me," Donna says, eyes still on the screen, "this is something you’re going to want to hear directly from the horse’s mouth."

Harvey throws up his hands in frustration and goes back into his office. He tries his best to concentrate on his work, and a few hours later Rachel comes into his office, drops a file on his desk with a loud  _thunk_  before turning and walking away without a word.

Whatever was going on with Mike and Rachel, he just wishes they’d leave him out of it.

(Okay, that’s a lie.)

*

Mike takes a deep breath. And another. And one more. Then, after one final deep inhalation, he knocks on the thick wooden door.

Harvey opens the door, a delightfully surprised look on his face when he sees Mike. “Hey.”

"How long?" Mike demands.

"How long what?" Harvey asks with knitted brows.

"How long have you felt about me the way I feel about you?"

Harvey turns and walks back into the apartment, but he leaves the door open, so Mike follows. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

"Yes, you do." They stop by the windows, Harvey turning to look at Mike, his expression nervous. Mike takes one final step closer. "You are always there for me when I need someone, you look out for me, you care about me, you lo-" Mike swallows the word before it gets all the way out, and in the silence that follows Harvey looks scared, caught out. He looks like his world is about to crash down around him. "How long?" Mike says again.

Harvey runs a hand through his hair. “Honestly? I don’t know. A long time. Probably since before you left Pearson Specter.”

Mike wants to sob with relief, with joy, but now is not the time for that. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” he asks plaintively.

"I think you know the answer to that question."

Rachel. Of course. “You’re right, I do. But that reason no longer applies.”

"It doesn’t?" Harvey asks, his voice tinged with hope.

"No." Mike takes a small step closer. "Do you remember that night, that night you took me to dinner to take my mind off Rachel?" Harvey nods. "Well, I know it probably wasn’t your intention, but it worked. A little too well."

Mike kisses him then, because he’s wanted to for months and he can’t wait another second longer. He can feel Harvey startle at the first touch of their lips, but then they relax into it, mouths moving together with an unbridled ease. It doesn’t take long for the slow and gentle movements to become heated, desperate, and Mike finds himself pressed up against the windows, Harvey’s warm body crowding him in.

He doesn’t mind at all.

"You’re right," Harvey says, kissing down Mike’s neck, "it wasn’t my intention. But I can’t deny that I’m happy it happened anyway…"


	87. Chapter 87

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post 4x06 ficlet.

When Harvey opens the apartment door the first words out of Mike’s mouth are, “I fucked up.”

Harvey’s expression softens ever so slightly and he stands aside to let Mike in.

"Are you gonna say I told you so?" Mike asks, collapsing onto the couch.

"No," Harvey says, heading to the kitchen to get them both drinks. He doesn’t say anything else, just grabs a couple of beers from the fridge and heads back over to the lounge. He hands Mike a bottle and then collapses on the couch beside him.

"You heard," Mike says, more statement than question.

Harvey nods. “I heard.”

Mike takes a swig of his drink before letting out a short, bitter laugh. “Thirty hours ago this whole thing was nearly over - you chose me and we were about to close the deal - and now I’m fired and instead of going home to my girlfriend my now ex-assistant texted her that I was fired and I came to the home of my ex-boss. I can’t even wrap my head around how completely surreal and fucked up this whole thing is.”

If he’s honest, Mike doesn’t even know what he’s doing here. He just walked out of the office and went home to an empty apartment, dumped the cardboard box full of the tokens that were meant to keep him grounded and keep him in perspective by the front door and then promptly walked out again. And he didn’t go to Rachel. He came here.

"You know…" Harvey says, fingertips idly running up and down the bottle. Mike turns to Harvey and notices for the first time that Harvey is in casual clothing. He doesn’t know how he didn’t realise that before, but it just makes him want to strip off his suit and burn it. "When we were working together, when you were my Associate, I never expected you to quit, I always thought you’d be fired."

Mike lets out a huff. “Of course you did,” he replies self-deprecatingly. “Way to believe in me there, Harvey.”

"That’s not the point and you know it. I knew you could be a great lawyer. Would I have hired you and risked my career if I didn’t? I thought you’d get fired because I figured that, sooner or later, we’d get caught out."

Mike smiles faintly, for the first time in hours. “We didn’t,” he points out, irrationally proud of the fact.

"No," Harvey smiles in return. "We didn’t."

Mike just sits there for a moment. Harvey’s couch really is comfortable. He could just sit here all day. But then his brain, somewhat inevitably, catches up to him and he asks, confused, “Why did you tell me that?”

Harvey shrugs nonchalantly. “I have no idea.”

Mike looks incredulously at Harvey for a moment before bursting into laughter. He laughs and laughs and it hurts so much. He puts his drink aside and cradles his head in his hands. How has he managed to fuck up his life this badly? They were so fucking close, so close to being able to move on and go back to normal and to not have life be like this anymore, and Mike fucked it up. Like always.

He can’t breathe.

It’s startling, Harvey’s warm hand cupping the back of his neck, but after the initial jolt of surprise he stills again, doesn’t move away or acknowledge it in any way.

"Mike," Harvey says, his voice soft but still so loud in Mike’s ear because Harvey is right there and Mike can be nothing but hyper-aware of the fact, "you defy expectation at every turn. You’re gonna be okay. You’ll figure this out."

Mike scoffs. “Because I’ve done such a bang up job of that so far. Ever since I left you everything has been falling apart.”

There’s no reply to that, and Mike replays what he just said and then groans. He didn’t mean it like that. At least, he doesn’t want Harvey to know he meant it like that. It was the job. Leaving  _the job_  was when everything started falling apart. It wasn’t leaving Harvey.

Except it was, and they both know it. Mike thinks they both knew it before his brain to mouth filter abandoned him. Nothing’s been the same since they left each other and Mike wants it back. He wants Harvey back.

"Look," Harvey says, and Mike braces himself for the inevitable heartbreak, because no way this ends well, "I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but I’m going to help you. You have to know that."

Mike finally lifts his head, and Harvey is looking at him, so goddamn earnest, and Mike just wants to curl up in the comfort of his expression and never leave.

"Am I still your guy?" Mike asks weakly, and Harvey smiles, squeezes the back of his neck.

"Always."

"I’m a college dropout, fraud and ex-investment banker. That might not mean much anymore."

"I don’t know about that. It still means something to me."


	88. Chapter 88

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://simply-divine-creation.tumblr.com/post/92039249253/vier-de-liefde) photo.

Harvey enters the lounge to see his husband repeatedly pacing it.

Mike glances at Harvey, asks, “Are they down?”, and at Harvey’s nod he resumes the pacing. Harvey sighs, collapsing on the couch and trying not to get dizzy from Mike’s movements.

"It’s gonna be okay, Mike."

Mike scoffs. “Is it? Because last time I checked they don’t deliver test results personally, at your home, unless there is something really fucking wrong.”

"You don’t know that," Harvey says. Mike ignores him, running a hand through his already dishevelled hair. "The reason we paid so much for Evan’s services is so we can get the perks like home visits, remember?" Harvey points out.

Harvey remembers Mike once joking about Harvey having enough money to buy a small country, which was hyperbole at its finest but there are bonuses that come with the income he has. And not having to take their two week old twins to the doctor’s office to receive test results when they had been awake half the night before was one of them.

As much as Harvey was trying to placate Mike, he couldn’t deny that part of him was worried. Marie had a … rocky pregnancy. There were a few anomalies in her test results in the first trimester, and she ended up having about twice as many tests as normal throughout the pregnancy to make sure everything was okay. When Hudson and Willa were born fifteen days ago, a bit small but seemingly healthy, Harvey let out a breath of relief.

After a night of observation Evan, their doctor, cleared the twins for Harvey and Mike to take home. She was just doing a few final tests to make sure everything was okay and she promised the results as soon as possible. Today they were getting those results.

Mike finally gives up the pacing, collapsing on the couch beside Harvey, leaning his head on his shoulder.

"I’m scared," Mike admits softly.

Harvey takes Mike’s hand, laces their fingers together. “Me too,” he replies.

When there is a knock on the door twenty minutes later Harvey gives Mike a gentle kiss before crossing the room and opening the door. Evan Fraser is on the other side, smiling politely at him. Harvey greets her with a smile and steps aside so she can come in. She heads over to Mike in the lounge, and Harvey can’t take his eyes off the envelope in her hand.

"I know you two are probably stressing out," Evan says as she sits down on the couch opposite Harvey and Mike, "so I want to start by saying that Willa and Hudson are both perfectly healthy."

Harvey can feel Mike physically relax from the news, and Harvey just looks at her and says, “You’re sure?”

"I’m sure," she nods. "There was just one, for lack of a better word, anomaly in the test results and I thought you would like to know as soon as possible."

"What is it?" Mike asks, his voice slightly tense.

Evan considers them both for a moment. “I don’t know how to say this other than to just say it, so: you are both the biological father of Hudson and Willa.”

They both sit there in silence for a moment. “I’m sorry, what?” Mike says, a sentiment that Harvey echoes completely.

"When Marie was inseminated we used samples from both of you. And they both took. Hudson is biologically yours," she says, looking at Harvey, and then she turns to Mike and adds, "and Willa is biologically yours."

"That’s not possible," Harvey says numbly.

"Not impossible, just very, very improbable," Evan says.

"The odds of having twins is something like one in every eighty-three conceptions," Mike says, "and it seems no one can agree on the odds of heteropaternal superfecundation - presumably because a lot of the time it goes undiscovered - with scientists saying in the case of twins it happens anywhere from one in twelve to one in thirteen thousand, so if we do the maths then-" Mike breaks off when he notices Harvey staring incredulously at him. "What?" Mike smiles for the first time since Evan called three hours ago saying she was bringing them the test results. "Seriously you’ve known me for five years now this still can’t be surprising to you.”

Harvey can’t tear his eyes away from his husband, a million emotions swirling through him at once. “Everything you do is surprising to me,” Harvey says, and Mike softens, leaning over and pressing a kiss to his lips.

The room is enveloped in silence for a moment, one that Evan breaks by saying, “Look, I know this is a lot to take in. If you have any questions I’d be happy to answer them for you. And I just want to reiterate that your babies are perfectly healthy.”

"Thank you," Mike says.

"And, there was one more thing," Evan says, her voice hesitant. "There have only been a handful of documented cases of this phenomenon, and none of them have been through surrogacy. I was hoping you would allow me to go on the record about this."

"No," Harvey and Mike say in perfect unison.

"Look, Evan, we appreciate everything you have done for us this last year," Harvey adds. "And I completely understand why you want to tell people about this. But this is our private life, and it’s not something we are comfortable with sharing."

"Okay," Evan says, standing up. Harvey and Mike stand too. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’ll leave these here for you," she adds, placing the envelope on the coffee table. "Give me a call if you need anything."

"Will do," Mike says, and glances back at Harvey briefly as he escorts her to the door.

Once she is gone and they’re alone, Mike and Harvey look at each other across the large expanse of the room before Mike breaks out into a grin, rushing over and throwing himself at Harvey. They collapse onto the couch from the momentum of the embrace, Mike half on top of Harvey and pressing kisses everywhere he can.

"I can’t believe it," Mike says against Harvey’s mouth, full of amazement.

Harvey chases Mike’s mouth and claims it in a deep kiss. When Mike eventually pulls away he takes Harvey’s hand, leads him down the hall. Harvey knows he’s being led to the nursery, but he still holds his breath as they quietly creep into the room.

The twins are lying in the crib together, finally sleeping, looking adorable in their matching white onesies. Harvey can feel his heart expanding just from looking at them. He never thought he could have this: an amazing husband who he knows he will grow old with, beautiful children he loves with his whole heart. But then Mike stumbled into his job interview with a briefcase of pot and a wide smile and Harvey’s life was never the same.

They stand there together, hands linked, watching their babies sleep. This will never get old.

“They’re really both of ours,” Mike whispers in awed reverence.

"They always were," Harvey points out, because as amazing as this is, they are both the parents and would have loved them the same no matter which of the two of them was the biological father.

"I know, but Harvey, this is incredible. Hudson is gonna grow up and maybe have your eyes or mouth or moles…"

"And Willa will probably have your big, blue eyes that she will use against me because there’s no way I can resist them."

Mike chuckles. He looks up from their children and says, “They’re one in a million.”

Harvey knows that Mike could probably work out the exact odds down to the tenth decimal place, but it’s the sentiment that counts. And Harvey completely agrees. He can’t help but think about every step that led to this, that brought Hudson and Willa into the world, not only from the day he and Mike met but everything that also led up to that. The odds on them meeting and ending up happily married must’ve been astronomical too.

"Just like us," Harvey says, and Mike grins at him, throws his arms around Harvey and hugs him tightly.

Harvey settles his hands on Mike’s hips, buries his face into the crook of Mike’s neck. They stand together like that for a moment, until a small cry shatters the peace. Harvey chuckles, pulling out of the embrace and watching as Mike picks up a crying Hudson.

This isn’t going to be easy. But it will be amazing.


	89. Chapter 89

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post 4x07 fic.

When Harvey opens the door he looks from Mike’s face down to the suitcase in his hand and back up again. “What, are you moving in?” he jokes.

Mike tries to smile but it doesn’t work. He can’t even look at Harvey when he says, “I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

Harvey softens and steps aside to let him in. Mike leaves the suitcase by the kitchen counter and heads straight for the couch, collapsing into a boneless heap onto it.

“Did you want a drink?” Harvey asks.

Mike shakes his head, so Harvey heads over to the lounge and sits opposite him. He sits there patiently, waiting for Mike to talk. But Mike doesn’t even know where to begin.

“Wanna hear something ridiculous?” Mike asks.

“Sure.”

“I had to go and buy a suitcase. I mean, I’m not exactly a world traveler, so when my last one broke I threw it out and never replaced it. I had to go and buy a new one in order to move out.”

Harvey seems to hesitate before saying, “So you and Rachel are-”

“I don’t know. I just needed some distance to figure it out.” Mike pauses, gathering the strength to ask something he never thought he’d ever ask of Harvey. Eventually he just takes a deep breath and says the words. “Can I stay here? Just for a couple of weeks?”

Mike expects Harvey to say no. He expects Harvey to say he needs to go back home, or to a hotel, or basically find anywhere else to stay. Instead he simply nods his head and says, “Okay.”

The relief Mike feels is palpable. A ghost of a smile appears over his face. “Thank you.”

Harvey nods. “So, what did you wanna do? Go grab a bite to eat? Or there’s a pretty good bar a couple of blocks away, we could go grab a drink. Or ten.”

“Thanks, but I think I just wanna stay in, if that’s okay.”

“Of course.” Harvey stands, crosses the room to Mike and places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Make yourself at home.”

Harvey heads off, presumably to his room or something, and Mike just sits there for a moment, wondering how the hell his life spiraled out of control so badly. He feels a rush of gratitude to Harvey, for taking him in, for always being there when he really needs him. Without Harvey, he’d be lost.

*

Being back at Pearson Specter is surreal.

People look at him strangely, wondering about his sudden reappearance, but to be honest he was always the fish out of water here so that’s actually not that big of a change. Jessica commands his presence first thing in the morning, presumably to put the fear of God in him but she needn’t have bothered. He’s seen the other side now. No way is he going to do anything to mess this up again. He’ll do the work and keep his head down and stay out of the way.

Harvey has Rachel and Louis has Katrina, so he’s working under his own steam now. But even though he doesn’t belong to either of them both Harvey and Louis feel a sense of ownership over him, and it’s probably really fucked up how much Mike likes it. It’s the sense of belonging, of being wanted and valued. It’s comforting.

He sees Rachel for the first time after lunch. He’s in the library working on his case when she comes in. He thinks the look he gives her should clearly communicate his desire for her to stay the hell away but if it does she simply ignores it. She comes over, face soft and remorseful, and as soon as she opens her mouth to speak he just stands and walks away.

He buries himself in the file room for the rest of the day, and he loses complete track of time. It’s like riding a bike, absorbing hundreds of pages of legal jargon, and the truth is that he had a lot of reasons to leave Pearson Specter last time but that didn’t mean he didn’t miss it. Because he did.

“I thought I’d find you here,” Harvey says, smiling as he approaches.

Mike smiles, shutting off his music and leaning back in the chair, stretching his body. “Are you lost?” Mike teases.

“I am many things, but I am never lost,” Harvey grins. “So, how’s your first day back going?”

“Good. It’s surprisingly easy to get back into the swing of things.”

“I’m glad. I just wanted to come and give you this.”

Harvey pulls his seemingly empty hand from his pocket and extends it towards the table. Mike’s confusion only lasts a few seconds longer, because a shiny silver key is dropped from his fist onto the table.

Mike takes the key, runs his finger along the edge. “You had Donna make me a key?” Mike asks with a smile, remembering back to a drunken night and an offer of house-sitting. That night feels like a lifetime ago.

Harvey smiles at him in a way that makes Mike think that he’s thinking about the same evening. “Let’s just say I’ve had it for a while. Just in case.”

“Thank you, Harvey.”

Harvey nods. “You should head home.”

Mike checks his watch. “It’s only seven o'clock.”

“And you’ve worked hard today, so your Name Partner is telling you to go home.”

“Yes, sir,” Mike says flippantly, even saluting Harvey. Harvey rolls his eyes but it’s a fond gesture, and he turns and walks away. “Wait!” Mike calls, standing up. “Are you going to be home soon?”

“I just have a few things to finish up and I’ll be home in a couple of hours. Go.”

Mike nods and obeys. He gets Chinese take out on the way home and orders Harvey’s favorite, putting it in the fridge for when he gets home.

 

*

It’s 3am when Harvey stumbles into the lounge. He’s wearing rumpled pajamas and running a hand through his hair as he looks between Mike and the television a few times.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” Mike asks with concern.

“No,” Harvey replies, but doesn’t elaborate. He sits on the other end of the couch and asks, “What’re you watching?”

“The Twilight Zone.”

Harvey hums. “Sounds like a good option to watch in the dark in the middle of the night.”

“I’m nothing if not thematic,” Mike replies, and he doesn’t even know if that makes sense, exhaustion dulling his brainpower. But Harvey doesn’t say anything, so he figures he gets the gist anyway.

“What are you doing up?” Harvey asks softly.

Mike shrugs. “Couldn’t sleep.” He hasn’t slept well for a while now, but that’s a different story entirely.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No. What about you? What are you doing up?”

“I’d tell you, but it’d make me sound like a twelve year old girl, so-”

“So now you have to tell me,” Mike laughs lightly.

Mike can see Harvey smiling softly in the white light of the television projection. “Bad dream is all.”

“Did you want to talk about it?”

“No,” Harvey says simply, and Mike doesn’t push.

They turn their attention back to the television screen. Mike has a blanket over his lap, the other end of which Harvey is sitting on. After a few minutes Harvey stands enough to pick up the end of the blanket, draping it across his lap when he sits back down. Mike tries not to pay too much attention to the warmth that spreads in his chest from Harvey’s proximity, he just keeps his eyes on the screen and eases back into the couch and tries to relax.

When he wakes up in the morning Harvey is still there, at the other end of the couch, fast asleep.

*

Mike always loved working for Harvey. And he misses it. Not that they aren’t working together now, because they are, but it’s not the same. Because Rachel is still Harvey’s associate (Mike secretly thinks Jessica insisted on this so Harvey would be stuck in the middle of his and Rachel’s mess as punishment for Mike coming back at all) so on the days she’s at work he avoids Harvey’s office like the plague, but then when she’s at school if Harvey needs help he’ll ask Mike.

He likes those days best, working together side by side. But it’s only temporary, Mike doesn’t get invested in the cases and the clients (he’s sure Harvey would maintain that that’s a good thing), he doesn’t feel as connected. It used to be him and Harvey against the world. He misses that feeling most of all.

He’s working in Harvey’s office on a simple merger (yet another punishment from Jessica, Mike suspects) when Rachel walks into the office, stopping dead in her tracks when she sees them. Harvey and Mike are equally surprised by her appearance, since she’s supposed to be at school, and there’s a lingering silence where no one quite knows what to do.

“Class was cancelled, so…”

Mike stands. “I’ll go then.”

“No, no I’ll go,” Rachel says.

Harvey stands, exhaling in a completely exasperated manner. “Tell you what, how about I go.”

Mike shoots Harvey a panicked look, silently begging him not to go, but Harvey’s already leaving.

“Mike,” Rachel starts, stepping into the room.

“I’m not ready, Rachel.”

“You haven’t been home in over a week now,” she continues unfazed, walking into the office.

“I’m aware.”

“Can’t we please just talk?” Rachel says desperately. “Can we just go somewhere and  _talk_  about this?”

“No.” He sits back down on the couch, runs a hand through his hair. “Look, I accept that things weren’t exactly easy before all this happened, with everything that was happening with the case and work, and I know that was partly my fault. I accept that. This isn’t all on you. But I’m not ready to forgive you yet either.”

“Mike, please-”

“If you’re going to work with Harvey today I can go do something else. Up to you,” Mike says.

“No,” she says, shaking her head. “You stay, I’ll go.”

*

Mike supposes that it’s kinda weird that he never knew Harvey had a guest bedroom until he crashed in it.

But then again, why would he know? He’d never made it beyond the lounge before. He had no idea what Harvey’s bedroom looked like, how big his bathroom was, if he had a home office, how many spare bedrooms he had… Well, he knows the answers to all those questions now. Harvey’s bedroom is light and airy (surprisingly) in monochromatic tones (not so surprisingly). His bathroom is bigger than Mike feels is really necessary for one person. He does have a home office, and he uses it quite a lot (the windows aren’t floor to ceiling but apart from that it reminds him of Harvey’s office at work). Technically he has two spare bedrooms but one has been transformed into the aforementioned office.

He found all that out the night he arrived with his suitcase in hand. Harvey had given him a tour of the apartment, given him towels and shown him where the sheets were and told him that if the pillow wasn’t comfortable that Harvey could replace it for him (he was too dazed from leaving Rachel to fully appreciate the utter ridiculousness of such a statement, not only because it was incredibly random but because, as Mike soon found out, the pillow was like being cradled by a cloud).

Harvey’s apartment is his in every way. The aesthetic, the layout, the fittings and furnishings. He should feel like a visitor at best and an intruder at worst, because this is not his home, and it’s nothing like the apartment he shared with Rachel or the apartment he had in Brooklyn.

And yet….

And yet when Mike walks in the front door after a long day at work he feels like he can breathe easily for the first time all day. When he wakes up in the morning and heads out into the lounge to see Harvey cooking breakfast in the morning (because Harvey is the sort of weirdo who gets up early enough to go and have a workout and then come home with enough time to actually cook a breakfast, all in time to still make it to work by nine am, and if Mike didn’t love Harvey so much he’d have to hate him a little bit) it feels like the best kind of comfort. When Harvey stops by his cubicle at the end of the day and asks if he’s ready to go home, the word settles in his chest and refuses to leave.

And when Harvey knocks on his bedroom door, popping his head into the room and saying, “Pizza in five. Come on, if you’re lucky I’ll let you choose the movie,” Mike puts his book aside (well, it was actually Harvey’s book, but he’d given Mike free rein when he’d seen Mike eyeing his bookcase appreciatively), leaving the comfort of his amazing bed and cloud-like pillow, and follows Harvey without a care in the world.

*

Mike can’t cook, it’s true. But what he can do is shop. So when he gets home from work and opens the fridge to find it practically empty he decides the least he could do to repay Harvey’s hospitality is to shop for him.

So he walks straight back out of the apartment, heading to the Fairway’s a few blocks away. He ambles up and down the aisles, getting anything and everything he thinks Harvey might want. He gets three types of meat and seven different vegetables. He buys his favorite brand of cereal and Harvey’s favorite type of cheese and the bagels they both love and a packet of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that Harvey will pretend that he’s not interested in before eating half the pack. He buys so much food that he can’t even carry it all back to the apartment, having to hail a cab and promise the driver an insane tip to take him the three blocks back to Harvey’s. He’s just finished putting everything away when the man himself walks in the door.

“Hey,” Harvey says, putting his briefcase down and flicking through his mail.

“Hi,” Mike replies, moving to the stool on the other side of the counter and sitting down. He knows Harvey will flick through his mail and then head straight to the fridge, and sure enough as soon as Mike has sat down Harvey is opening the fridge, freezing when he notices the abundance of food.

“Uh, Mike…”

“Yes?” he replies innocently.

“It looks like Fairways threw up in here,” Harvey says, closing the door and turning to face Mike. “You didn’t have to do that. You’re a guest.”

Mike knows he doesn’t mean anything by it, but he can’t help the way his heart falls at that. Guest. Right, of course he is. This is temporary and it’s Harvey’s home - not his - and he needs to stop feeling so damn comfortable here.

“Right, sorry,” Mike says softly, avoiding Harvey’s gaze.

He can hear Harvey sigh, and then when he speaks he sounds closer than before. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, Mike. But I’m supposed to be taking care of you, remember?”

Mike looks up at that. “How about we take care of each other?” he asks with a tentative smile.

Harvey smiles back. “That I can do. So, I’d ask what you got but the better question might be what didn’t you get?”

Mike rolls his eyes but joins Harvey in the kitchen. They look at the options and decide what to have for dinner and it feels like something they’ve done a million times before.

“Hey, you got my cheese,” Harvey says with clear surprise, picking up the Bay Blue cheese with a smile.

“Of course,” Mike replies easily, like it was nothing. But then he suddenly remembers the last time he did the shopping and Rachel got pissed at him for getting the wrong type of pasta. He bought angel hair instead of penne for Rachel and yet remembers the exact type and brand of cheese that Harvey likes. And it wasn’t like he had forgotten what she wanted, he was just distracted and didn’t care enough to do anything other than just buy the first thing he saw. But for Harvey he carefully searched through every cheese they had until he found the right one.

That can’t be normal, right?

*

They’re on their way to work when Harvey gets a text. He reads it with a sigh and as he puts his phone away tells Mike, “Rachel’s coming in before her morning class to finish off some work.”

Mike nods absently. “Okay.”

Harvey doesn’t say anything for a while, but Mike can feel Harvey’s eyes on him so he knows something is coming sooner or later. “So what’s going on with you two?”

“Do you actually care?” Mike asks. He doesn’t mean it in a callous way. It’s just that, apart from the morning Harvey told him that maybe he should go back home, they haven’t really talked about Rachel since. He’s not sure how much Harvey actually cares about what’s happening between them.

“Look, you’ll never hear me say this again, but I care about you. I care about your life. It’s true that I have a lot of opinions about what you should and shouldn’t be doing with said life, but I won’t force those opinions on you.” Off Mike’s incredulous look, Harvey adds with a grin, “Unless you’re being an idiot about something, of course.”

Mike chuckles at that.

“But seriously, I’m your friend, if you need someone to talk to I’m here. Whatever you want, whatever you decide, I have your back.”

It’s ridiculous, the effect one little word can have on him. Harvey is the first person he goes to when his life falls apart, Harvey let him stay at his condo when he had nowhere to go, Harvey took him back after Mike left work without a second thought - of course they are friends. But to hear Harvey say it, it  _means_ something. Actions are important, it’s true, and everything that Harvey has done for Mike since the day the met has shown Mike that Harvey is his friend. But hearing the word feels different. Knowing something to be true is worlds away from just hoping it is.

“I don’t know what to do,” Mike admits. “I want to forgive her. I want to move on. I’m just not sure I can.”

Harvey shifts in his seat, and the movement catches Mike’s eye. He looks over to Harvey to see him looking at Mike uncertainly, just for a moment, before he schools his features.

“I would suggest talking to her. You aren’t going to get anywhere until you do. Plus, once you resolve this thing either way it’ll mean I stop getting to feel like the child of divorced parents who can’t stand to be in the same room together.”

Mike’s laughter is sudden and loud and surprises even him. But he couldn’t help it. The image is so ridiculous and surreal that laughter is the only possibly response. “Well, if you’re good maybe we can go for ice-cream after work,” Mike says, grinning.

Harvey returns the smile, saying, “I’m surprised you didn’t go straight for the offer of a trip to Disneyland.”

“Gotta save something for next time.”

*

Mike doesn’t realize he’s staring until Harvey lets out a deep sigh, dropping his fork and saying, “What’s wrong, Mike?”

Mike shakes himself out of his daze, averting his eyes. “Sorry,” he murmurs.

“Don’t be. Just tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just … I can’t help but notice that you haven’t really had anyone over lately.”

“I’m pretty sure I have someone over all the time, actually,” Harvey deadpans.

Mike chuckles. “No, that’s not what I mean. It’s just, you’re a  _closer_.  You love _closing_  people. You’re always closing someone - don’t think I hadn’t noticed every time you had someone stashed in your apartment when I came over unannounced - and you just haven’t been, closing someone that is, lately.”

“Say  _closing_  one more time,” Harvey teases.

Mike smiles, but it soon fades away. “I’m serious, Harvey. I don’t want to get in the way of your life. If you haven’t been doing … that because of me you should tell me. If you want me to go, if I’m intruding-”

“You’re not,” Harvey says, so vehemently that Mike has little choice but to believe him. “And you know I’d tell you if you were.”

Mike wants to ask if he’s certain, but he knows that questioning Harvey’s assurance would be offensive to him, so he remains silent, going back to his breakfast, trying to hide the smile on his face.

*

Work is good, which is a nice experience after the last few months.

Rachel has stopped trying to approach him at work, finally having gotten the message that he’ll come and speak to her when he’s ready. Harvey and Louis are going through one of their nice phases, so they’re able to coexist and not fight over Mike. Which means that in return he doesn’t have two people trying to get him to do work at the same time. He has a few ongoing cases of his own, helps out Louis and Harvey when they need it, so there’s a good balance between working in solitude and working with others. Jessica still hasn’t thawed towards him, but he doesn’t blame her.

He knows Harvey has tried to get Mike back as his Associate but Jessica keeps blocking it. Mike doesn’t mind. Harvey even trying to get him back after everything they did to each other is enough for him.

*

Mike keeps waiting.

Because when he arrived here that night, suitcase in hand, he asked Harvey if he could stay for a few weeks and Harvey said yes. But it’s been nearly a month now, and Harvey hasn’t once said anything about Mike leaving. He hasn’t dropped any hints, made any sarcastic remarks, nothing.

Mike doesn’t want to overstay his welcome, but the truth is that he’s not ready to go yet either. He has to decide what he wants, if he and Rachel can be okay, and it’s something he thinks about every single day but nearly a month after the fact he’s still no closer to working it out. And he doesn’t think having to move into a hotel or finding an apartment through airbnb is going to help that process either.

The days keep passing and Mike keeps bracing himself for the words and Harvey never says anything.

*

It’s not really that late when Mike gets home, but the apartment is dark and silent, and he knows Harvey left to go home a while ago.

He leaves his keys on the counter, goes to the fridge and opens it but doesn’t really feel like anything. Maybe Harvey’s gone out for the evening. Maybe after their conversation last week he’s remembered what he’s missing out on and gone out for some fun. Mike closes the fridge and tries to ignore the bad taste sitting at the back of his mouth which appeared at the exact moment he thought about Harvey out with someone.

He could do some of the work he bought home with him but the truth is that he’d rather just crash. Not very wild for a Friday night, true, but he’s not interested in going out and getting into a drunk stupor (mostly because he’s afraid he’ll want to get high and nothing good comes from going down that path) and the work will keep until tomorrow, so he decides to just turn in.

But when he heads down the hallway he hears some soft noise emanating from Harvey’s room. He presses his ear to the door but it doesn’t sound too incriminating, so he knocks softly.

Harvey’s, “Yeah, Mike,” is immediate.

Mike pushes the door open to see Harvey sitting on his bed, on top of the covers and leaning against the headboard, as Iron Man plays on the television.

“Hey,” Mike says, leaning on the doorjamb. “How was your day?” he asks, because today was a Rachel day and thus he hadn’t seen Harvey since they arrived at work twelve hours previous.

“Fine,” Harvey says in a non-committal tone. He does that on the Rachel days, just says the bare minimum, like he’s afraid Mike will crumble at the sound of her name. He won’t, and he kinda resents the implication, but he knows it’s just Harvey being his usual protective self. After a beat, Harvey adds, “Wanna watch the identity crisis that is Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark?”

Mike huffs out a short laugh. It’s a deflection, Mike knows it, but he still assents, kicking off his shoes and shedding his jacket before sitting beside Harvey on the bed. The movie isn’t even halfway through, and they sit there in silence watching it for a good ten minutes.

But Mike can’t turn his brain off. He keeps thinking about Rachel and Pearson Specter and Harvey and leaving Sidwell and feeling lost and it’s a swirling mess of incoherent brainwaves and Mike just ends up blurting out, “I don’t know what to do.”

Harvey turns his attention from the screen to Mike, but doesn’t say anything, just waits for Mike to continue.

“I miss her. I really do. But I can’t get past what happened. I love her, but I’m not sure I trust her anymore. I - I don’t know what to do.”

Harvey just looks at him for a moment, and Mike realizes for the first time how close they are.

“I think you do,” Harvey says softly. “I think you always have.”

Mike is overwhelmed with the sudden desire to shift forward, to press his lips to Harvey’s, to see how Harvey’s mouth would feel against his own, discover how they would move together. And while it’s a completely new longing it’s not terribly surprising either. He’s always wanted something from Harvey: friendship, respect, attention, gratification, and this just feels like the latest extension of their relationship.

His gaze flicks down to Harvey’s mouth, and he  _wants_. He even starts inching forward, emboldened by the fact that Harvey doesn’t move away, but he can’t do this. Not yet. He pulls back, ignoring the confusion in Harvey’s eyes, turning away and getting off the bed and walking to his room without another word.

*

Mike stares at the phone for a good five minutes before he gets the nerve to use it. He sucks in a large lungful of air, grabs the phone, and texts Rachel.

_Okay, let’s talk._

It takes less than a minute for the reply to come through.  _Where?_

He can’t bring himself to say ‘our’ apartment, so he texts back:  _The apartment. I’ll be there in thirty._

There’s no reply, but he wasn’t expecting one. He showers and dresses quickly, and when he walks into the lounge Harvey’s there, eating breakfast at the table and flicking through a newspaper.

Mike points to the door. “I’m heading out for a bit.”

Harvey nods. “Good luck.”

Mike doesn’t question how Harvey knew, he just nods in gratitude and walks out the door.

When he gets to the apartment he could use his key but instead he knocks on the door and waits for Rachel to answer. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, her face slightly pale. She looks tired. She smiles halfheartedly at him as she steps aside for him to enter, and he walks in without a word, sitting on the couch.

She sits opposite him, clasping her fingers together in her lap. She can’t keep his gaze, constantly looking between Mike and the coffee table between them.

“I’m so sorry,” she says, her voice shaky.

Mike isn’t angry anymore, not really. And he cares about Rachel, he doesn’t want to see her upset, he doesn’t want to yell and scream and say things that won’t change anything. So he lets out a deep breath and says, “I know.”

“If I could go back and change things-”

“But you can’t. And there’s no point thinking like that. It’s just going to hurt both of us.”

Rachel nods, wiping away a tear. “We’re over, aren’t we?” she asks, resigned.

“Yes,” he says, because if this is their relationship ending then she deserves to hear the words out loud. “I’m sorry, Rachel. But I can’t go back. I don’t want to.”

Rachel nods again and the tears just keep coming but she lets them go now. Mike looks away. He doesn’t hate Rachel, he never could. He just can’t be the one to comfort her either. Not anymore. “So what happens now?” she asks.

Mike shrugs. He honestly has no idea what comes now. He bought this place, but he can’t imagine ever coming back here. He’s not a heartless bastard; he doesn’t want to kick her out. He just has no frame of reference for this.

He has no idea what to do. Story of his life, really.

They sit there in silence for a long time, mourning together.

*

When Mike exits the building Harvey is there, leaning against a shiny black car.

He looks at Harvey for a moment as his brain processes the image before him before letting out a laugh. “You were worried about me,” he says, stepping closer.

Harvey doesn’t say anything, which is an answer in itself. He just stands there passively as Mike approaches, doesn’t even flinch when Mike keeps coming. Mike doesn’t know what comes over him, he just can’t stop, walking right up to Harvey and pressing a kiss to his lips. It’s a simple but lingering kiss, and Harvey lets out a soft noise. Mike pulls back then, embarrassed and overwhelmed and completely unsure about everything.

Harvey just smiles softly at him, opening the door. Mike gets in without a word.

“Where do you wanna go?” Harvey asks once they’re situated.

“I don’t know.”

Harvey nods, then says to Ray, “Take us out of the city, Ray. Just pick a direction and drive.”

Mike eases back into the seat as Ray pulls into traffic. The privacy divider goes up, whether at Ray or Harvey’s request Mike doesn’t know, but he just stares at the black divider, letting the motion of the car soothe him as Ray drives them out of the city.

It feels like hours until the silence is broken. “Do you wanna talk about it?” Harvey asks.

“About what? Breaking up with Rachel or kissing you?”

“Either. Both.”

Mike looks at Harvey then, finally. Harvey looks completely open, carefree, and Mike wants so badly he can barely see straight. He turns his body so he’s facing Harvey, his knee pressing into Harvey in the cramped quarters.

“I have  _no idea_  what I’m doing with my life, Harvey. I’m basically homeless … I’m a fraud … there is nothing about me that is dependable or easy. I fuck everything up. I don’t know  _anything_. The only thing in my whole life that I’m certain about is you.”

“Mike-”

“And I know you didn’t sign up for this, and I’m not really asking anything of you, I’m just saying … I don’t even know what I’m saying. I have nothing to offer and there is nothing I can give you-”

“You’re wrong,” Harvey says, surprising Mike into silence. “Mike, you can give me something no one else on this planet can.”

Mike finds that hard to believe, and he tells Harvey as much. “What?” he implores. “What could I possible give you that-”

Harvey kisses him, Mike’s face cradled in both hands with complete and utter reverence. It’s slow, their mouths moving together like they’re each afraid of pushing the other away. Mike blindly reaches out and gets a hand on Harvey’s thigh, squeezing.

Mike has to be sure. He pulls back, looks Harvey in the eyes, searches for any kind of lie. But there isn’t one to be found. Harvey’s looking at him with an expression Mike has never seen, and he doesn’t know exactly what it all means but he knows that it’s real, that Harvey wants this too. So he kisses Harvey again, and this time there is nothing slow about it.

Mike tries to get closer, tries to climb into Harvey’s lap but the car is small and he ends up banging his head on the roof. Harvey laughs, kissing Mike’s jawline as Mike rubs at his head.

“I know where I wanna go,” Mike says, leaning down and pressing the words into Harvey’s skin.

“Oh yeah? Where’s that?”

“To wherever there’s the nearest available bed.”


	90. Chapter 90

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: the first time Harvey says I love you, for anon.

If Harvey had had any forethought whatsoever he would’ve said those three little words earlier that morning, earlier that day, hell, the first time they met would’ve been a more appropriate time.

But no, Harvey had no such forethought, which was part of the problem. He didn’t imagine this happening, he didn’t prepare for Mike in any way shape or form. Mike barged into his life demanding to be seen, to be heard, to not be cast aside. He didn’t give Harvey a choice, and normally people who attempt to force themselves into Harvey’s life or to draw out feelings are cast aside simply for attempting it in the first place. But Mike is different, has been different in this as in all things. He was unexpected and brilliant and unique and the one person in the world that Harvey genuinely needed.

Maybe them getting together wasn’t as surprising as it should’ve been.

It was a long and drawn out process, steps taken in increments, neither wanting to jeopardise what they already had, uncertain of the others true feelings. It had taken a drunken night out for Harvey to get the courage to confess, to press Mike against the bar and whisper into his ear, to admit that  _I’m head over heels over feet for you_ , for Mike to laugh and kiss him like he’d done it a thousand times before, as if it wasn’t a risk, like they were certain.

Getting to that point might have been slow but everything that has come after has been at breakneck speed. They spend every free moment they have together. Harvey hasn’t slept alone in three weeks. He’ll get up in the morning to find Mike is either still half lying on top of him, sound asleep, or that the bed beside him is empty and when he stumbles out to the kitchen Mike will be making coffee or breakfast.

It wasn’t a revelation, by any definition of the word. It was something Harvey had known for months, years even. He should’ve said so that morning, when Harvey woke to Mike pressing feather light kisses along his collarbone. He should’ve said it on the way to work, as they sat together in the back of the car and made plans for dinner. He should’ve said it in the middle of the morning, when they went outside for a coffee break. But no, for some stupid reason utterly beyond his comprehension, it took Mike completely owning opposing council in a deposition, it took him drawing out an admission of guilt, it took him being the best damn layer Harvey had ever seen, for those three little words to come. And they did, at the end of a deposition, to a shocked room, on record for the world to see.

He couldn’t help it, okay?  Mike was being a badass and Harvey was so in love with him that when he felt that familiar surge of love this time the feelings expressed themselves as words.

Luckily, Mike was someone who was able to roll with the punches. He grinned, looked to the stenographer and asked if that was on the record. When she nodded, unable to hide her amused smile, Mike turned to Harvey and said  _well then let the record show that I love you too._


	91. Chapter 91

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: the first time Harvey breaks their “no touching at work” rule, for anon

Despite their many and varied differences, the one thing they agree on is that their relationship is their own and no one should know.

It’s a lofty goal, Mike knows, because secrets have a way of coming out at Pearson Specter, but still, it’s worth trying. Because their relationship doesn’t belong to anyone else, and if everyone knows then people will have opinions about it and try and use it against them and it will complicate everything. And for once, Mike is revelling in the complete uncomplicated bliss of being with Harvey, because they fit together so easily that from the moment they got together it’s been like walking on air, like he has finally found something that grounds him, that gives him perspective.

So yes, it’s something they both agreed on, and so far it’s working out well. No one knows, as far as Mike can tell no one even suspects. There have been no whispers or rumours. All is as it was before.

Unfortunately, the consequence of this is that Harvey thinks that they’re safe. He’s becoming less vigilant, and though Mike doesn’t mind the flirting (because let’s be honest, that was happening before they got together, so it wouldn’t ring any alarm bells) he’s worried that it’s just the beginning.

And he’s right, because no less than a week later Mike finds himself in Harvey’s office, flat on his back on the couch, Harvey lying over him with his hand reaching into Mike’s pants.

“We shouldn’t,” Mike protests, because someone should, someone should have the presence of mind to remember that they are in an office completely surrounded by glass and that even though it’s late at night and the building is dark this is still a risk.

“I know,” Harvey replies, mouth against Mike’s neck.

He doesn’t say anything else, and he doesn’t stop, and Mike could make him but he doesn’t want to. This is incredibly risky and highly ranked amongst the stupidest things they’ve ever done, but he doesn’t want to stop. Harvey’s hands are sure on his skin, and it feels so good, his body flushed and arching and he gives up all thought of protest, claiming Harvey’s mouth with his own and quickly unzipping Harvey’s pants.

Afterwards, they clean themselves up and leave no trace, because they aren’t that stupid, and when they’re at Harvey’s place, tangled in bed after round two, Mike presses a light kiss to Harvey’s jaw and says, “What if someone saw? What if we’re found out?”

“No one knows.” Harvey is adamant, and Mike wishes he could be so sure. “But if people find out, whether it’s tomorrow or in a year’s time, we’ll deal with it the way we deal with everything. Together.”


	92. Chapter 92

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://heartsuits.tumblr.com/post/89224784382) gifset

“So what’s going on with Mike Ross?”

“How do you know I’m thinking about Mike Ross?” Harvey asks, simultaneously wondering why Jessica always feels the need to say his name like that. Mike _Ross_. Really, it’s not like they know any other Mike’s.

“Who else would it be?” Jessica answers easily, and Harvey, well, he doesn’t have a reply to that.

Jessica settles herself into Harvey’s couch and takes a sip of her drink. She considers him for a moment, and Harvey doesn’t break the silence. She presumably came in here for something, better to just wait her out.

“So, have you told him yet?”

Harvey’s eyebrows furrow. “Told who what?”

“Mike Ross. Have you told him that you’re in love with him?”

Harvey wishes he was eating or drinking something he could choke on at such a statement. The words feel too big to just land inconsequentially between them. His heart pounds hard in his chest and his palms start to itch, but they are all easy symptoms to hide. The moment feels like it needs some kind of physical reaction, something other than Harvey just shifting uncomfortably in his chair and asking, “What?”, trying to put shock and confusion and the feeling that the idea is utterly ridiculous into one word of four letters.

“Have you told Mike that you are  _totally butt crazy in love with_ _him_?” Jessica says with a smirk.

“I don’t know which is more incredible: you asking me about my love life or quoting Clueless to me.”

“Don’t try and deflect. I know you, Harvey. I know how you feel about him. Why haven’t you told him?”

“Are you advocating this?” Harvey asks, leaning forward in his chair and looking evenly at Jessica. “Even if I felt that way about him, which I have not yet admitted to, are you really okay with me beginning a romantic relationship with someone you tolerate at best and despise at worst? As you continually insist on reminding me, he’s dangerous. He could ruin us all. Why would you encourage me to begin a personal relationship with someone who, if he got hurt because this didn’t work out, could turn that hurt into vengeance against us?”

Jessica takes a sip of her drink and smiles sweetly at him. “First of all, I’m not advocating anything, I’m just making friendly conversation. Second of all, if you think you haven’t already begun a personal relationship with him you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought. You did everything in your power to get him back here, against my wishes and explicit instruction. There isn’t a single person on this floor, hell, in this  _firm_  who doesn’t know the lengths you two will go to for each other. You’re already three quarters of the way there. So I’ll go back to my original question. Are you going to tell him?”

“No,” Harvey says, and he knows that even with the negative response he’s still admitting to something. He’s never acknowledged it out loud before. It doesn’t feel freeing. He feels worse than before, because now Jessica knows, so when Mike inevitably moves on from Rachel to his next great love Jessica will give him knowing looks and he can put up with a lot from her but not her pity. Never her pity.

“Too bad,” she says indifferently, standing and walking to the door. “Because, I hate to admit it, but I think he could be good for you. He’s already been good for you.”

Jessica is almost at the threshold, he should just let her walk away, but something in him just can’t let this go. So before he loses her to the dark hallways outside his office he asks, “What do you mean?”

Jessica slowly turns to face him. “I made you a lawyer. Donna made you a person. Mike, he makes you both. He makes you …  _more_.”

And with that revelation she turns, leaves him in solitude but not in peace.

His mind, normally quite proficient in deflecting and compartmentalising anything that he doesn’t really want to deal with, can’t let this go. Being in love with Mike was not something he expected, nor was it something he encouraged. But for once in his life, in the battle between head and heart, his heart had won out. He is in love with Mike. He might not be able to say it out loud, not yet, but he can finally admit it to himself.

Baby steps and all that.

His cell rings, and pulling the phone from his pocket he sees that it’s the man himself. He smiles, fond and indulgent because there’s no one here to witness it, and answers the phone with, “Were you ears burning?”

“What?” Mike says, confused. There’s a lot of background noise and Harvey can barely hear him.

“Never mind. What’s up?”

“I’m at a bar on 55th but it’s totally lame and boring. Wanna come make this place marginally more interesting?”

“Only marginally?”

Mike laughs. “If you get your elitist and superior ass into this trashy bar I could maybe look at upgrading that to significantly.”

Harvey grins. This is a bad idea. But that in no way stops him from saying, “Be there in ten.”


	93. Chapter 93

Harvey always knows who is at his door before he answers it.

It’s really not brain surgery. Any visitors need to be announced, which means if his doorman hasn’t called him it’s one of the four people who are on his pass list: Jessica, Donna, Mike, or Marcus.

(Technically it could also be a neighbour, but Harvey, perhaps unsurprisingly, isn’t particularly friendly with his neighbours, and has only received three visits in five years from someone within the building.)

Marcus lives on the other side of the country, making an unannounced visit fairly unlikely.

Donna almost never visits him at home, part of the unspoken rules of their relationship, that as much as they care for each other they are in each other’s lives so much at work that they need to keep their distance outside of those hours.

Jessica usually only has cause to visit him when something goes spectacularly wrong, so even though her visits aren’t announced by the doorman Harvey usually expects her anyway.

Mike, though, Mike is something else entirely. Harvey could count on one hand the amount of times he has invited Mike over for something - usually work related - and yet he lost track of the amount of visits Mike has made when the number tipped thirty. (Don’t ask him why he was counting in the first place - he doesn’t have a good answer.) So odds are, if there is a knock at the door, it’s probably Mike.

Harvey always knows it’s him before he opens the door. Mike has a distinctive knock, which means Harvey has the time it takes to walk from the lounge/kitchen/bedroom to the door to try and work out why Mike is here and school his features appropriately.

But the thing is, lately, there doesn’t seem to be a discernable reason for Mike’s visits.

In the beginning they were work related, either about whatever case they were working on or Mike’s somewhat founded but mostly just paranoid concern about his (their) secret being discovered. Then it changed to the personal, Mike coming to him because of Rachel. Harvey had a first row seat to their entire relationship: from the start, when Mike confessed to Harvey that he told Rachel the truth and that he loved her and they were going to try to make it work, to the end, when Mike turned up bloodied and beaten on Harvey’s doorstep because Rachel had cheated and Mike had left.

Harvey is a good friend to those he truly cares about - and yes, that includes Mike, he’s given up trying to pretend otherwise because Mike can see through him better than anyone anyway - so he let Mike stay as long as he wanted, and then when Mike was ready he helped Mike pack up his stuff in the apartment Mike and Rachel shared and move into a new place.

The knocks increase after that.

Mike made a joke one time, about how Harvey only had himself to blame because he found Mike the apartment which is located a mere five blocks away. Harvey had rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Mike towards the couch and thought that yes, it was his fault, not because Mike lives so close to him now but because Harvey had  _let Mike in_. It had been a conscious choice, a decision, one which Harvey can’t bring himself to regret.

Even if it forced him to acknowledge the fact that he may have fallen a little bit in love with Mike.

The realisation when it came was simultaneously the most shocking and obvious revelation of his adult life. Of course he had fallen for Mike, what else could have explained his indulgence of the kid, the way Harvey opened himself up to Mike, trusted him beyond measure, actually wanted him around when he normally would’ve been content alone. But Harvey has never done serious relationships, and any genuine feelings he has had in the past had been squashed, whether purposefully or not, by the other person and after the last time he had vowed it was going to be just that. The last time. No way would he ever get himself into a situation where another person could have that power over him, where he would put his heart in someone’s hands and hope that they, unlike all the others, didn’t break it.

Famous last words.

Those hands are now knocking at his door, insistent, confused as to why Harvey hasn’t answered them yet (yes, Harvey can tell that not only is it Mike that’s been knocking at his door for the last minute, but that he’s now confused about it, god, Harvey is so screwed). He should just ignore it. Harvey doesn’t often get introspective - it’s just not his style - and he’s worried that if he answers the door and sees Mike that something will happen, he’ll give himself away, he’ll destroy the one good thing he has in his life, and Harvey could stand anything and everything but that.

“Harvey? I know you’re in there. Let me in.”

Harvey lets out a deep sigh, but doesn’t get up from his place on the couch.

“If you don’t let me in I  _will_  use the key I know you know I have.”

Harvey chuckles lightly, but remains in his seat, and is only about forty precent surprised when a few seconds later the door opens as Mike lets himself in.

Harvey stands, putting on his best neutral face and walking towards Mike.

“What’s up, Mike?” he asks, like he has a thousand times before.

“Well I was coming over to make you watch The Fifth Element and Léon, because your knowledge of Luc Besson is woefully lacking, but now… What’s wrong?”

“What? Nothing,” Harvey insists quickly, heading over to the kitchen. “Drink?”

He can feel Mike’s eyes on him as he steps into the kitchen and grabs a couple of beers from the fridge. He places one on the bench next to Mike, who just continues to stand there, looking at him intently, like he’s a puzzle with the last piece missing.

And Harvey is not a coward. He meets Mike’s eyes, keeps his expression even, suddenly desperate to pretend like everything is okay, normal. That he isn’t utterly terrified of destroying this thing between them. But the longer Mike keeps his gaze, the harder it is. The air in the room is suddenly too thick, and Harvey knows, somehow, that he needs to keep looking at Mike, that being the first to break away will mean something, but the longer he looks the harder it is to ignore all the things he wants, and he can’t, he just can’t ignore it anymore, and he looks away, nervous,  _petrified_.

Not wanting to prolong the moment (and his suffering) any longer, Harvey keeps his eyes down as he moves to walk past Mike, but he doesn’t get very far, Mike’s fingers reaching out and firmly but gently enclosing his wrist. Harvey stops in his tracks, but he doesn’t look at Mike. Can’t look at him.

“Don’t mess with me,” Mike says, voice low and rough.

Harvey doesn’t say anything, can’t move, can barely even breathe.

“If what you are feeling right now is an idle whim, if it’s just a fleeting thought, one that you are going to regret in the morning, then just … don’t act on it. Please. I couldn’t handle that.”

Harvey takes a deep breath, tries to concentrate on anything other than the blood rushing through his veins, his heart pounding in his chest.

“What if I do?” Harvey asks. His voice is low, hesitant, because he can’t believe this is actually happening. He’s terrified and hopeful and it’s all so goddamn surreal. “What if I want more - more than one night, more than this? What if I want everything?”

“Then you should know that you can have it.”

Harvey lets out a shaky breath, turning to finally look at Mike. Mike’s already there, staring at him in wide-eyed wonder and Harvey smiles, wide and bold. He doesn’t even think, can’t form the brain power to consider and weigh all the pros and cons, he just feels so much  _love_  that he needs to express it as best he can. So he shifts closer, eradicating the infinitesimal space between them and pressing his lips to Mike’s.


	94. Chapter 94

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the events in 4x11.

Never once, in the four years-seven months-twenty two days of knowing Harvey, has Mike ever hesitated this long outside his apartment door.

But he hesitates now, because although Mike needs answers he’s fucking terrified of what is about to happen, that what he was told isn’t true, that he’s about to mess up the only good relationship he has in his life. He could suffer through anything, and has, but fucking things up with Harvey … there’s no coming back from that. And, just as importantly, Mike wouldn’t want to. Their relationship means the world to him, has got him through every bad thing that’s happened the last few years, and losing that, Mike doesn’t know how he would deal with it.

But he also can’t deal with Scotty’s words continually playing on a loop in his mind. So, after a solid five minutes of contemplation and fighting the urge to run like mad, he lifts his hand and knocks.

Harvey is smiling when he opens the door, but his face immediately falls when he takes in Mike’s appearance. “What’s wrong?”

“I met with opposing council today. It was Scotty.”

Harvey stands aside, and Mike walks into the apartment, coming to a halt next to the windows. He’s always loved this spot. Harvey has an insane view, and Mike will never not be mesmerized by the sparkling lights of the city.

“When was the last time you saw her?” Mike asks, tentative, the first test of truth.

Harvey shrugs. “It’s been years.”

“She says it was when Louis became name partner.”

“Yeah, I guess so…” Harvey says, confusion as to where this is going clearly starting to seep in.

“Do you remember what she said?” Mike presses.

“No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.”

“She said that you went to her for help, for a favour, because it was personal to you. And it was personal to you because it was about me.”

Harvey doesn’t say anything, just keeps looking right at Mike. Harvey’s gaze on him has always been a heavy thing, a weight keeping him grounded in the best possible way, because Mike knows that he is  _safe_  with Harvey. And it gives him the courage to tell Harvey this, to tell Harvey something he already knows but probably doesn’t understand. “She said that she told you she never wanted to hear my name again. And that you probably assumed it was because she was angry at you for everything. But that wasn’t the reason why, Harvey. She told me that it was because she didn’t want to hear the person she was in love with say the name of the person  _they_ were in love with.”

Harvey continues to look at him for a beat, just one tiny moment of acknowledgment, before he turns and heads to the kitchen. Mike watches him go but doesn’t follow. Harvey gets a couple of tumblers and pours a finger of scotch into each. He holds one up for Mike, saying, “If we are going to have this conversation I think a bit of liquid courage might be in order.”

Mike slowly walks over and takes the glass, asking, “Since when do you need liquid courage for anything?”

“Since now,” Harvey says, tapping his glass to Mike’s and taking a sip.

Mike mirrors the action, putting the glass back onto the counter. “So…”

Harvey isn’t looking at him, and Mike has no idea why, if it’s because Harvey is about to let him down because it’s not true or if because he can’t admit to what Mike hopes is true. But Mike’s come this far, and now that the seed has been planted he can’t not know, for better or worse he needs an answer, so he takes a breath and opens his mouth to speak, but before he can form the words Harvey beats him to it.

“Yes,” Harvey says, finally looking up at Mike. “Yes, it’s true.”

Mike doesn’t flinch at the fact that he was about to ask Harvey  _is it true_  and Harvey just answered the unasked question anyway. He remains silent, still, waiting for more, because he knows Harvey, and Harvey could never make such a vague statement and leave it unqualified.

“I went to Scotty for help because I had to protect you, us,” Harvey says, and of course,  _of course_  he focuses on the favour part and not the love part.

“ _Why_?”

“What do you mean why?”

“I mean was it just because…” Mike can’t continue the thought. He’s here, he finally has the courage to ask (okay, let’s be honest, he has the  _excuse_ to ask, Scotty had unknowingly given him that), to find out if that certain something that had been there between them since the day they met, that had pulsated and grown and evolved like a corporeal being, always building up to something  _more_ , actually meant what Mike hoped it meant.

“Harvey,” Mike says, his voice firm and determined, and Harvey looks immediately more alert. “Tell me the truth. Tell me how you feel about me.”

Harvey takes another sip before putting the tumbler down. “How did Jessica put it that time?  _Once you get something that you want you will do whatever it takes to keep it_. That’s how I feel about you. You aren’t just part of my life, Mike. You are my life.”

Even though this was exactly what Mike had been hoping for from the moment he left Scotty and the court house and hopped in a cab over here, it’s still shocking to hear. Emotions too numerous to mention rush through him in seconds, and somehow Mike has the presence of mind to register how nervous Harvey looks. And because his default is to always distract and cheer whenever Harvey looks that way Mike just grins and says, “Wow, as declarations go that was kinda creepy and possessive.”

Harvey looks surprised by this response, but Mike is still grinning happily at him, and Harvey lets out a short laugh, giving him a rueful nod.

Mike steps closer, pressing their bodies together, wrapping an arm around Harvey’s shoulders. He lets out a breath when he feels Harvey’s hands on his hips; until that touch all of this was just talk, but Harvey’s actions have always spoken volumes, just like they are right now. “Lucky for you, creepy and possessive works for me.”

“Oh yeah?” Harvey grins, finally. “You like people being possessive of you?”

“People, no. You … yeah.”

Mike doesn’t know who moves first, and in decades to come he still won’t care, because they are kissing desperately, like they were holding this back for every moment of those four years-seven months-twenty two days and can finally unleash it all.

Which, really, is just one more truth.


	95. Chapter 95

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written post 4x13.

“I need you to do something for me,” Harvey says without preamble as he walks into the apartment without being asked. As per usual. Mike should probably be annoyed by that, but really, considering what happens when he goes to visit Harvey he supposes he doesn’t really have much of a leg to stand on.

“Okay,” Mike replies, closing the door and following Harvey inside. “What is it?”

“Never mind what it is. Unless you wanna go back to whatever you were doing before I hired you, you’ll be here at nine am.”

Mike takes the post it note Harvey is holding up and looks at the address. “This is the address for your car club.”

“Oh yeah, your memory,” Harvey says, accompanied by his  _oh yeah you have an eidetic memory which I totally forgot about until this moment no wait of course I remembered because I too am not an idiot_  smile. Harvey has a lot of  _very specific_ smiles.

“I’d remember this even if I had your memory. It was right before our first case together.”

Mike looks down at the post it again, remembers those early days, when everything was so new and scary but so fucking exciting, when he was starting to learn from Harvey and getting to know him, when he kept fucking up and Harvey kept bailing him out, when their secret was still that and every moment he was utterly terrified that someone would find out. Who’d have thought they would consider those the good old days?

“You’re right. McKernon Motors. So this time, be on time, and put your seat belt on because we’re about to take a trip down memory lane.”

And on that note Harvey leaves, seeing himself out with as little fanfare as when he arrived.

Mike glances down at the note for a moment, wondering what Harvey has in store for him tomorrow, questioning why it is that Harvey can come here with ambiguous demands and Mike will follow along without a second thought when he questions literally everyone else in his life before agreeing to anything, when he realises something.

He instantly turns on his heel and runs out into the hall, manages to catch Harvey waiting at the elevator. “Wait, so that’s it?”

Harvey turns, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean did you really come all this way just to tell me to meet you tomorrow? I don’t know if you’ve heard, but they have these things called phones…”

Harvey rolls his eyes. “I was in the neighbourhood,” he explains.

Mike just watches him for a moment before exclaiming, “Bullshit.” He knows Harvey too well now, and despite Harvey’s continual assertions, Mike  _can_  read people. Some people. Okay, Harvey. Point is, he knows Harvey wasn’t in the neighbourhood. “You came all this way to give me the address of somewhere I’ve already been and tell me to meet you there in the morning. You’ve been here less than five minutes.  Why? What was the point? I know it wasn’t just to see me-“

Even if Mike was terrible at reading Harvey (though he’s not, see point above) he’d be able to tell that he just struck a nerve. A blind person would be able to tell, in fact. For all of Harvey’s talk about having a poker face sometimes he really is like an open book.

“What’s going on, Harvey?” Mike asks, slightly concerned. Harvey came all this way just to spend a couple of minutes with Mike. Something has to be going on, right?

“Nothing,” Harvey says, and of course that’s when the elevator doors open. “See you tomorrow, Mike.”

Mike should just leave this be. Pushing Harvey can be dangerous. The term  _pick your battles_  had never meant much until he crashed into Harvey’s interview room all those years ago, but now it’s a daily part of his life. He should let this one go.

Instead he finds himself rushing into the elevator car just before the doors close.

“Mike-“

“Are you hungry?” Mike asks. Harvey looks surprised, can’t get a reply out beyond a raised eyebrow. “I’m starving. Some jerk I work with has kept me working sixteen hours the last couple of days, so food has been in short supply.”

“What an asshole,” Harvey says, a slight sparkle in his eyes. “I’m surprised you don’t just quit.”

Mike shrugs. “He can be annoying, but truth be told, I’m kinda fond of the guy,” he says nonchalantly. “Can’t really imagine my life without him to be honest.”

“Mike-“

“Look, Harvey, I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is you can tell me.”

“There’s nothing going on.”

The doors open, and Harvey steps out into the lobby. Mike follows, nodding at his doorman on the way out. They make it out onto the street and Mike can tell Harvey’s about to walk off so he grabs Harvey by the elbow to make him stay. “Okay, I’m just going to say this once, and if you never want to talk about it again then fine. Harvey, you don’t need an excuse to come see me, you don’t need a reason to justify coming over. You wanna hang out, grab dinner, watch a movie? I’m in, always. You need help with a case, call me. I’m there. Okay?”

Mike stares Harvey down until he slowly nods in acknowledgment.

“Okay, now, there is a Shake Shack down the block and I’m starving. You in?”

Harvey considers him for a moment before nodding again. Mike smiles lightly in return, and they start walking down the street.

Mike doesn’t know where the forthright Harvey he knows and lov-likes-in-a-completely-platonic-way-uh-huh-no-other-feelings-here-whatsoever-okay has gone, but he’ll go with it for now. He’s probably thrown Harvey, and that’s something Harvey doesn’t deal with well. He always has a plan, and then several back-ups, and he probably wasn’t expecting when he knocked on Mike’s door that Mike would call him out on it.

But he did, because he feels like their relationship lately has … stagnated isn’t the right word but it’s the only one he can think of. Nothing’s been wrong as such; they’ve gotten along just fine, have been winning cases, nothing dramatic has happened. But maybe that’s the problem. He feels like they are on the verge of a shift, or maybe it would be more accurate to say he feels like they  _should_  be on the verge of a shift, that they both need something to change but don’t know how to make it happen.

Anyway, those are thoughts for another time. For right now he just needs to bring Harvey back to his normal self and have some food and hang out with his favourite person in the world. The rest of it can wait until tomorrow, along with Harvey’s mystery mission.

“So, what’s with the cardigan?” Mike says after the silence stretches out too long. “I know you like to make a statement but do you really want that statement to be _bring me my pipe and slippers_?”

Harvey’s lips curl into a smile. “At least my shoes don’t like they came from Clowns R Us.”

Mike grins. There’s the Harvey he knows and … well … you know how the saying ends.


	96. Chapter 96

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this to go along with [this](http://pearsonspecterlitt.tumblr.com/post/113020705198) fabulous gifset by Mandy (pearsonspecterlitt). This is the original _longer_ fic that I wrote, which we cut down on the tumblr post, so some of this will be new even if you saw it on tumblr.

Mike walks into Harvey’s office to find Harvey on the phone with opposing council. Harvey glances briefly in Mike’s direction before returning his attention to his call, fierce and determined. Mike just waits, but it doesn’t take long, Harvey’s face melting with relief and Mike knows they’ve won.

“Congratulations,” Mike says as Harvey hangs up the phone. “You did it.”

“ _We_ did it,” Harvey replies, standing and advancing across the room.

“True,” Mike says with a smile.

Harvey moves to put his hands on Mike’s hips, presumably to pull him closer, but his hand brushes against something hard in Mike’s pocket. He glances down at it as he steps back. “Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” he smirks.

Mike lets out a nervous chuckle. “It’s uh…” he pulls a black velvet box from his pocket, twists it around in his fingers for a moment. “I’ve been carrying this around for nearly two weeks, trying to find the perfect moment.”

There’s a beat of silence. “The perfect moment for what?” Harvey asks, voice low.

Mike looks up and meets his eyes. “You know what.”

Harvey doesn’t say anything, just keeps his gaze fixed on Mike, and Mike takes courage from his silence.

“Harvey, you took a chance on me when the world was content to let me pass them by. I knew then how lucky I was to find you, to find someone who believed in me. I had no idea that meeting you would lead to this, to us, but it did and I have never been happier than when I’m with you. You let me see the real you when no one else did and I feel so fucking privileged to know you. To love you. To be loved by you. And I never want to go another day without that, for the rest of our lives. So…”

Mike takes a deep breath, and then slides down onto one knee.

“Harvey Reginald Specter. I love you. I always have and I always will. Will you marry me?”

Harvey breaks out into a large grin, Mike’s favourite kind, eyes crinkling as his entire face lights up. “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”

Mike grins, standing and not wasting another moment, sliding the platinum ring onto Harvey’s finger, where it will stay forevermore, before kissing his fiancé for the first time.


	97. mike asking harvey to be his best man (not!fic)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously inspired by the events on the season four finale.

Mike asking Harvey to be his best man.

Mike being all nervous about it and trying to find the exact right moment and puttingmore thought and planning into this than he put into actually proposing toRachel. Mike prefacing the question by saying that he knows Harvey doesn’t careabout pomp and circumstance or sentimentality or romance, and promising he doesn’t really have to do anything apart from show up in a great suit (which he already knows Harvey owns so there is little effort required), and saying he knows Harvey is thinking that he’s just asking because he has no one else but the truth is that Harvey has been the best friend he has ever had and he couldn’t imagine having anyone else by his side when he gets married.

Harvey saying yes without hesitation.

Mike and Rachel planning the wedding and Rachel not wanting to get a wedding planner but still wanting the absolute best of everything and trying to juggle work and school and wedding planning. Mike trying to help out but Rachel being unable to let go of control. Rachel turning into a bridezilla who gets annoyed that the flowers she wants aren’t in season or complaining that the food she wants isn’t available. Mike insisting that he doesn’t care about all the specifics, that he just cares about the marriage. And Rachel needing it to be an absolutely perfect day complete with ice sculptures and white doves and a guest list of over two hundred and a massive four tier wedding cake.

Mike and Rachel discussing their future. Mike wanting to have a family, the sooner the better. Rachel wanting to wait, to finish law school and have a career before giving it all up for motherhood. Mike suggesting he could stay home with the baby instead and Rachel getting annoyed that she would have to go off to work while he stayed home.

Mike wondering, between the wedding drama and the family discussions, if they are as compatible as he once thought they were.

Mike going to Harvey’s when he needs a bit of space, some quiet from all the drama. Harvey who listens and commiserates and plies him with food and drinks and movies to get him to relax. (It’s what the best man does after all, Harvey says.) Harvey who, in the quiet moments, so late at night it’s almost morning, admits that he wants kids, wants a family, and doesn’t understand how Rachel could wait another moment to have a baby with Mike.

Mike finding more and more excuses to not go home at night. A case needs work. Harvey needs help wooing a client. Mike starting to not really care about the wedding plans. Rachel asking him for his opinion on the table settings and Mike snapping that he doesn’t care and what difference would it make because she’ll just choose the one that she wants anyway.

Mike getting a call from Rachel’s dad wondering why the hell his daughter has shown up on their doorstep in tears and he had better be treating his baby girl right because if Mike hurts her he’ll make sure Mike’s life is a living hell. Mike hanging up on him.

Mike starting to hate being in his own home. Mike and Rachel fighting more than agreeing. Mike who is sick of the pettiness and drama, who is confused as to how this became his life when all he wanted was to settle down and make a life with someone.

Mike and Rachel fighting. Yet again. Rachel asking why he isn’t interested in planning the biggest day of their lives when Mike just snaps. Mike admitting he doesn’t think they should get married. Rachel feeling confused and hurt and kicking him out, Mike gladly going.

Mike turning up on Harvey’s doorstep. Harvey knowing without Mike saying a word what has happened. Mike saying that he bets Harvey isn’t surprised, and Harvey saying that he never thought he and Rachel were a good fit but she seemed to be what he wanted. And Harvey just wanted Mike to be happy.

Mike admitting in a soft voice that lately the only times he’s been happy is when he’s with Harvey.

Mike moving out of the apartment and throwing himself into his cases and trying to avoid Rachel at work. Rachel moving to Stanford to start over, and Mike wishing her well but feeling like he’s finally able to breathe again with her gone.

Mike going on with life and kicking ass at work and trying to get back out there. Mike getting a promotion at work and settling into the rhythm of work and still caring about his clients and cases but learning not to identify as much as he used to. Mike excelling at his work but being fine with not getting any recognition because he just cares about the work and clients. Mike no longer working for Harvey but still learning from him, still relying on him, just like Harvey still relies on Mike.

Mike slowly realising that maybe what he’s been looking for has been right in front of his eyes the whole time.

Mike falling in love with Harvey so quickly and easily it was like the feelings were there the whole time just waiting to be discovered.

Mike wanting to tell Harvey but being utterly terrified that Harvey doesn’t feel the same, that this will ruin everything, and Mike could bear anything but the loss of the one person in his life he can’t do without.

Harvey kissing Mike at work, in the middle of his office, in the middle of the day for anyone to see, because Mike looked at him just a second too long and it was like Harvey just  _knew_. Harvey knew that Mike had finally realised what was between them, the love and devotion and potential that their lives could hold. Mike kissing back, without thought or hesitation, because this was everything he wanted and nothing could be better than this.

Harvey proposing three weeks later, and Mike saying yes before he even got the sentence out.

Mike and Harvey eloping just days later, flying across the country to get married in a cabin that Harvey owns in Lake Tahoe, having Marcus and his family as their witnesses.

Mike realising he was right all those years ago. There’s no way he could’ve had anyone other than Harvey beside him when he got married.


	98. signed, sealed and delivered (bike messenger!Mike au)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for day 5 of #marveyweek, which was AU verse day.

Mike grins when he sees the name on his next delivery, getting on his bike and peddling as fast as he can.

He works pretty exclusively in midtown, which can be all kinds of insane, but it also means he’s delivering to people and businesses as varied as you can imagine. He likes meeting people, and for the vast majority of the time he’s delivering something people either want or need, so he’s almost always happily greeted. He gets paid to keep fit, he gets to explore every corner of the city (well, okay, every corner of midtown, he probably knows it better than his neighborhood in Brooklyn at this point) and, most importantly, nobody cares that he’s a loser who got kicked out of school for selling tests. They’re just happy to see him. It’s a good gig.

He didn’t think when he started this job that he’d end up having favorite clients. Not because he didn’t think he’d meet cool people, but because he didn’t think he’d be delivering to the same people enough times to really form any kind of connection with them. But he has some pretty cool regulars: the manager of a little coffee shop that never lets him leave without a drink or pastry in his hand, the often harried but totally sweet assistant to some big tv executive, the fashion designer that Mike has been delivering to for so long he has seen her go from sewing in her shoebox sized apartment to having her own studio.

But his absolute favorite is the asshole senior partner at Pearson Hardman.

To be honest, he doesn’t know Harvey half as well as he knows his other favorite clients. He’s been delivering to Harvey for about six months now, and in that time he’s seen Harvey in about half of his visits - the other times his office has been empty and he’s chatted to Harvey’s lovely yet vaguely terrifying assistant, Donna. But Mike is good at small talk, and he’s particularly inspired when it comes to someone as hot as Harvey, so while Harvey signs for the package or envelope Mike asks Harvey about the basketballs lining his windows or the record that’s currently playing, or he’ll argue good-naturedly with him about the current status of their respective baseball teams, or he’ll rave or rant as appropriate about the latest movie he’s seen, or they’ll chat about this week’s episode on the tv shows they have in common (right now it’s Game of Thrones: Mike is Team Dany and Harvey is Team Margaery for the throne).

Point is, he doesn’t really know much about Harvey, not really, but he still likes him. Once, about a month ago, Mike was walking into the building as Harvey was walking out of it. Harvey was on his way to get a coffee from the cart just outside the building and asked if Mike wanted to join him. So even though Mike had had a coffee about ten minutes previous he grabbed one with Harvey, the two of them standing in the building forecourt and chatting about nothing for twenty minutes.

He should probably be ashamed of how happy those twenty minutes made him.

It doesn’t take long to get to the Pearson Hardman building. He makes his way up to Harvey’s floor, waving at the woman at reception as he goes past. The hallways are the same buzz of activity they always are, and he winds his way easily around to Harvey’s office. From a distance he can see that Harvey’s in there, and he’s smiling as he approaches, but when he gets to the door he can now see that Harvey’s not alone. He’s standing behind his desk, talking to someone sitting opposite him.

“You can go in.”

Mike starts at the sound of Donna’s voice. He turns to look at her, and she’s sitting there, smiling smugly, like she knows something he doesn’t. She probably does, to be honest.

“He’s with someone,” Mike points out. Mike might not have made it to his second year of pre-law, but he knows that having a meeting interrupted by a bike messenger is probably not all that professional.

“I know. Trust me, it’s not as important as what you’ve got in your hot little hands.”

Mike automatically glances down to the thick envelope in his hands before looking back up at Donna. He must look uncertain still, because she nods, and so Mike slowly approaches the office, carefully pushing the door open. Harvey looks up at him when he enters and gives him a look that somehow manages to convey  _give me a second to finish this but don’t go anywhere_. Mike has no idea how he can read that look so easily.

With nothing better to do while he waits Mike listens in on the conversation. They’re talking about civil liability. The other guy must be a lawyer because they seem to be debating the topic as opposed to talking about specifics relating to a case. Mike gets the sense that Harvey is testing the other lawyer, so he’s probably a Junior Partner or Associate or something. Mike listens with obvious interest, and he knows that Harvey knows he’s listening in because Harvey occasionally meets his eye with an expression of exasperation.

“Okay, Kyle, last one. Try to give me a hint of what you showed me in the interview. Ready?” At the lawyer’s - Kyle’s - nod, Harvey says, “Stock option backdating. Although backdating options is legal, violations arise related to disclosures under IRC section 409A.”

Kyle freezes - even only being able to see the back of his head Mike can tell that much - and the silence that follows proves that he’s drawing a blank. At Harvey’s impatient face Kyle blurts, “There’s the denial of deduction under Section 162(m)…?”

Mike can’t help it, letting out a quick laugh. Harvey and Kyle both turn to him, Kyle with animosity and Harvey with curiosity.

“You think you could do better, loser?” Kyle spits.

Harvey looks like he’s about to intervene - taking a half step forward and opening his mouth - but Mike doesn’t give him the chance, telling Kyle, “You forgot about Sarbanes-Oxley.”

Kyle gapes at him, and Mike can’t help the thrill of superiority he feels. Harvey steps out from around his desk, a look of confusion on his face. “The statute of limitations renders Sarbanes-Oxley moot post-2007.”

“Not if you can find actions to cover up the violations established in the Sixth Circuit May 2008,” Mike points out.

Harvey just stares at him, for so long it starts to make Mike feel unnerved. “Kyle,” Harvey eventually says, eyes still on Mike, “get out.”

There is a brief blur in Mike’s peripheral vision that he assumes is Kyle leaving. Harvey is still staring at him, and Mike can’t look away. But then Harvey starts stalking towards him and Mike feels flushed and nervous and he breaks the eye contact, glancing down at his hands and seeing the envelope there. “Here,” he says, holding it out.

Harvey steps close enough to take the package from him. “How the hell did you know that? Are you a lawyer in your spare time or something?”

Mike laughs nervously. “Nope, no part time lawyering job for me.”

Harvey is looking at him expectantly. “So?”

“It’s a  _long_  story,” he says, holding out his signature capture device.

Harvey nods, signing his name. “Okay. How about you tell me tonight, over dinner?”

Mike almost drops the device. “Seriously?”

“You just walked into my office and schooled my associate in the finer points of stock option backdating. I’m finding it really difficult not to just push you against the nearest wall and have my way with you right now,” Harvey tells him in a tone of voice that quite frankly should be outlawed.

Mike grins wickedly. “I would not be at all opposed to that.”

Harvey smiles in return, his eyes crinkling with it. “As tempting as that sounds, there are drawbacks to having an office made of glass windows. Do you think you can wait until tonight?”

“Well, I’ve waited over six months, I think I can handle a few more hours.”


	99. Chapter 99

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for day 5 of #marveyweek, which was AU verse day. I wrote this little fic and Mandy made a [gifset](http://pearsonspecterlitt.tumblr.com/post/116528786581) to go with it. :O)

Shock. That's what Harvey feels when he opens the door to find Mike on the other side, even though the word isn't nearly powerful enough to convey the full scope and depth of what Harvey is feeling right now. He checks his watch, because it's entirely possible his sense of time has become somewhat distorted due to the emotions of the day, but no, it's 4pm. The exact time Mike and Rachel's wedding ceremony was supposed to begin.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" Mike says, voice tinged ever so slightly with anger, before he storms into the apartment.

Harvey slowly closes the door, taking a moment to gather his wits before heading into the apartment to face Mike.

"Tell me why," Mike demands.

Harvey lets out a resigned sigh, shaking his head. "No."

"Harvey, I asked you to be my best man, and when you said no, I accepted that, even though it fucking hurt. But if that wasn't bad enough, yesterday you tell me that you aren't coming to the ceremony and refuse to tell me why. I mean, what the hell man? After _everything_ -" Mike cuts himself off, taking in a shaky breath like he isn’t sure he can go on. Harvey wants to say something, but he knows Mike too well now, knows he’s just getting started, and interrupting him would just make things worse. Mike takes one more deep breath before continuing, “This morning, when I was supposed to be getting ready for the most important day of my life, all I could think about was you. I was on the verge of a goddamn panic attack because the most important _person_ in my life wasn't going to be present for the most important _day_ of my life and you…" Mike trails off, his face distorting with realization. "Oh my God, you fucking knew, didn't you? You knew that I was really in love with you and that was why you weren't going to come to the wedding."

Harvey feels like he can't breathe. He doesn't even think about it, taking a small step forward. "Mike, believe me when I tell you, I _didn't_ know."

Mike looks nervous, chest rising and falling like he's just run a mile. "You didn’t?"

Harvey shakes his head. "All I knew was that I was in love with you. And I couldn't just sit there and watch you marry someone else. That’s why I said no to being your best man. It’s why I couldn’t go to your wedding."

Mike just looks at him for a moment. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" he asks, plaintively.

"Why didn't _you_ ever tell _me_?" Harvey counters.

"Because I didn't know!" Mike exclaims, indignant.

"Yeah, well, now you do," Harvey says defensively.

Mike just looks at him for a moment before bursting out into laughter, his whole body sagging with it. It isn't long before Harvey joins him.

"We're ridiculous," Mike says, grinning.

Harvey smiles. "Agreed."

Mike takes a step forward. "Kiss me."

"Gladly," Harvey replies, before doing just that.


	100. Chapter 100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for day 7 of #marveyweek, which was a free day. I decided to use some of my past tags as inspiration and this is what happened. :O)

“Are you dressed yet?” Harvey calls.

“In a minute,” comes a reply from the depths of their apartment.

Harvey paces the floor for a few moments, until he hears the sound of the shower running, at which point he shucks off his suit jacket, placing it over the back of the couch before collapsing onto it with a resigned sigh.

Time moves at a glacial pace while he waits for Mike to get ready. Harvey doesn’t know why he’s still surprised by this. They’ve known each other for five years now - three as colleagues and friends, and two as a couple - and in all that time there hasn’t been one single occasion where Mike was ready before him.

He might not have Mike’s memory, but he remembers that much.

Five minutes later Harvey watches Mike appear from the dark hallway and pad over to the kitchen, completely naked. He takes a moment to appreciate the view - he’s only human after all - before saying, “You know we should’ve left five minutes ago.”

Mike grabs a bottle of water from the drink and takes a few sips. “Do we have to go?”

Harvey rolls his eyes. “You mean to the dinner you insisted on and organized? Yes, we have to go.”

Mike puts the bottle back in the fridge before stalking over to Harvey. He doesn’t hesitate, lowering himself into Harvey’s lap in one fluid motion, a movement full of practiced ease. He cradles Harvey’s face in his hands, smiling brightly. And then, painfully slow, he leans in, stopping just before their lips connect. They both remain still, in a silent standoff, and a few moments later Mike slips his tongue out and slowly licks across Harvey’s lips.

Harvey can’t help the groan that escapes his throat. The pads of his fingers dig into Mike’s hips, and the movement inspires Mike to press in that much closer. And then they’re kissing, slow, but deep and borderline dirty. Harvey slides a hand up the warm plane of Mike’s back, pressing him in. Mike starts rolling his hips, and though there is something delicious about having a naked Mike in his lap while he’s in one of his best suits, Harvey reluctantly breaks the kiss.

“ _Please_ ,” he says, voice rough, “can you go get dressed now?” Because if this continues for too much longer Harvey isn’t sure he’ll be able to resist.

Mike grins, pressing his forehead to Harvey’s. “Funny, that’s pretty much the opposite of what you normally say.”

Harvey chuckles. “It’s our rehearsal dinner, we need to go.”

“Can’t we be late though?” Mike asks, voice all innocence, even as he starts pulling at Harvey’s tie.

Harvey opens his mouth to say no, that of course they can’t be late to their own rehearsal dinner, but before he can utter a word Mike is kissing him, wild and frantic and amazingly distracting, and Harvey has no choice but to give in.

“I hate that you know me so well,” Harvey groans while Mike places open mouth kisses down his neck.

Mike laughs. “No you don’t.”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

Mike pulls away so he can smile at Harvey as he starts work on undoing the buttons on Harvey’s shirt.

“Just promise me you aren’t going to be like this tomorrow. We can be late to our rehearsal dinner but not to our wedding.”

Mike grins, running his fingertips lightly down Harvey’s chest. “I make no guarantees. You’re extraordinarily irresistible you know.”

“Do you think you can resist me long enough to become my husband and let me promise to love you for now and evermore?”

Mike’s face softens from the playful expression he was wearing into something infinitely more tender. “Absolutely.”

Harvey grins. “Well in that case we can definitely make them wait half an hour for us.”

“Oh Harvey,” Mike smiles wickedly, pressing his mouth to Harvey’s. “What I have planned for you will take  _at least_  an hour.”

“Well then, we better get started.”


	101. Chapter 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit I haven't updated this in nearly a year. Oops.
> 
> I'm going to be updating the last years worth of fics. I have no idea how subscriptions/notifications work, but since I don't know any other way to do it I'll be updating them one at a time and if that triggers a notification for each separate chapter I apologise in advance.
> 
> Inspired by [this](http://mistercrocetti-and-misterlevitch.tumblr.com/post/120118066181) picture.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mike’s smile only widens. “I think this is the first time I’ve seen you in pajamas.”

Harvey’s eyebrow crinkles. “That can’t possibly be right.”

“It is,” Mike says, easing further back into the chair. “Normally when we’re here you’re a lot more naked,” and he takes a moment to roam his eyes over Harvey, because even in his dressed state he looks fucking delectable, “and the few occasions we’re at my place you’re … well, you’re naked there too. Come to think of it, you’re naked a lot in my presence these days.”

“Are you complaining?” Harvey asks incredulously.

“Fuck no.”

Harvey grins at that. He shifts back on the bed slightly and lies back on his elbows, body long and lean as he presses into the crumpled bed sheets. “Well, this is me, in all my pajama-clad glory. What do you think?”

Mike doesn’t answer straight away, too distracted by the sight in front of him. It’s ridiculous; they’ve been together for over four months now, Mike shouldn’t be so arrested from the sight of him. But he really is. They’ve known each other for three years and Harvey still takes his breath away, whether he’s dominating in court or cooking him dinner or kissing every inch of his skin, and Mike can’t imagine a time when he won’t be so affected by Harvey.

“I like it,” he says, standing slowly and stalking towards the bed. Mike keeps his gaze locked with Harvey the whole time, even when he presses a knee into the mattress between Harvey’s thighs and leans over him, hands pressing deep into the mattress on either side of Harvey, crowding him in. “But I like you naked too.”

“Well, if you hadn’t spent all night at the office you could’ve seen me naked. But you just had to be committed to your job instead of stripping me naked and having your wicked way with me.”

“You like that I’m committed to my job,” Mike points out with a grin.

“True. It’s just one of the many things I love you about you.”

Harvey kisses him then, leaning up and pressing their lips together, a soft embrace that Mike immediately deepens, body collapsing and pressing into Harvey’s. He slides a hand under Harvey’s top, glides a palm over the sleep-warm skin of his ribs, moaning at the touch. They make out for a stupidly long time, Mike rolling his hips in infinitesimal circles, just because he can.

“Come on,” Mike says eventually, pushing back up and straddling Harvey. “As much as I love these, let’s get them off,” he says as he starts pulling at the white top.

Harvey helps Mike strip him of it, but before Mike can get to the pajama bottoms Harvey gently grasps Mike’s hands, tangling their fingers together and stopping him. He lies there for a moment, gazing up at Mike with a stupidly happy expression on his face. “You know how you could see me in my pajama’s more often? If you moved in with me.”

Mike’s jaw doesn’t drop, but it’s a near thing. “Are you serious?”

“Very.”

Mike grins, leaning down and kissing Harvey with everything he has. It’s an answer Harvey hears loud and clear.


	102. Chapter 102

Mike is deeply engrossed in his book when Harvey comes home, but when he hears the front door open and close he tears himself away, waiting for Harvey to make it down to the bedroom.

A few moments later Harvey does, dropping his briefcase by the floor and grunting a greeting at Mike before disappearing into their walk-in.

“Hi honey, welcome home, did you have a good day?” Mike says, voice a combination of sarcasm and saccharine, because Harvey has obviously had a crap day (if the grunt wasn’t a big enough give away Mike can only recall a handful of times since they got together when Harvey didn’t immediately cross the room to wherever Mike was to kiss him hello).

There’s another grunt from the depths of the walk-in and the sound of rustling clothes, and Mike decides to let him be until he’s ready. He finishes the paragraph he was reading before putting his book onto the bedside table, waiting for Harvey to emerge. Which he does not long later, walking into the bedroom in his favourite sleep pants and a worn Harvard tee, looking wrecked as he crawls across the bed to place a soft and lingering kiss on Mike’s lips.

“Are you okay?” Mike asks, soft and concerned, and Harvey nods before kissing him once more. Then he collapses onto the bed, head resting on Mike’s thigh.

“Tell me,” Mike says, running a hand through Harvey’s hair.

“Louis fucked up,” Harvey replies.

Ah, enough said. Louis was meant to get the co-worker of Harvey’s client to corroborate their testimony and the only reason Harvey didn’t do it himself was because he was too deep in pre-trial prep with his client.

“They aren’t going to testify?” Mike asks, already knowing the answer.

“Got it in one.”

“You’ll fix it. You always do.”

“Maybe. Point is, I shouldn’t have to. Louis is a fucking Senior Partner and if he can’t get this one thing right then what is the point of having him around in the first place?”

Mike doesn’t say anything – lord knows he isn’t going to defend Louis, but he doesn’t want to get Harvey even more worked up either – so he just keeps running his fingers through Harvey’s hair in a soothing motion.

“I’ve got something that might cheer you up, if you’re interested.”

“I’m _always_ interested in that,” Harvey says, wriggling his eyebrows with a grin.

Mike laughs. “Not that. Although we could definitely table that for later. Come on, sit up.”

Harvey does, and once he’s settled in the middle of the mattress Mike reaches down beside the bed and pulls today’s purchases from their bag, placing them in a neat pile in front of Harvey.

“I went shopping for Emmett’s birthday present today,” Mike says with a grin.

Harvey looks down at the pile of clothes, picking up the first one. It’s a pair of blue jeans, but when he unfolds them he discovers that they come with suspenders.

“No,” Harvey says, putting them aside. “Emmett isn’t even one yet, he’s far too young to be a hipster and I won’t allow it.”

Mike laughs, not only because Harvey’s reaction was exactly what Mike was expecting, but because they both know that when it comes to Emmett he’s all bark and no bite and when Harvey sees how adorable Emmett looks in them he’ll change his mind.

“Well I did have to go all the way to Brooklyn to get them. I don’t know if you know this, but it’s actually illegal to leave Brooklyn without purchasing something incredibly hipster. True story.”

Harvey just gives Mike an indulgent smile before moving on to the next item. It’s a grey marle cardigan, and Harvey looks at it approvingly.

“Okay this is much better,” he says, running his fingers along the soft fabric.

“Thought you might like that one, since it’s basically the kid version of your favorite cardigan.”

Harvey looks at him as if to say _I’m gonna let that pass_ as he puts the cardigan aside and moves on to the last item, picking up and unfolding the striped shortalls so he can see them properly.

“Cute,” Harvey says.

“And you’re missing the best part,” Mike says, a grin fit to break his face lighting his features. At Harvey’s raised eyebrows Mike says, “Check the label.”

Harvey does so and when he sees it he lets out a knowing chuckle. “OshKosh B’gosh,” he grins.

“I couldn’t find any pinstripe so this was the next best thing,” Mike says, and even though he knows Harvey doesn’t have his memory he also knows that he remembers everything from that night as well as he does.

“They’re perfect,” Harvey says softly, carefully folding the [jeans](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oshkosh.com%2Foshkosh-baby-boy-bottoms%2FV_414G056.html%3Fnavid%3Doshkosh-xsellPDPYMAL&t=MzM0OWVlOGY4MDFhYjg1MjdhZDNlNzliMThlZGZhOTEyOWNlMTllMixBRVB2QW5kbg%3D%3D), [cardigan](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oshkosh.com%2Foshkosh-baby-boy-outerwear%2FV_414G043.html%3Fdwvar_V__414G043_size%3D12M%26cgid%3Doshkosh-baby-boy-outerwear%26dwvar_V__414G043_color%3DColor%23navID%3Dleft%26start%3D5%26cgid%3Doshkosh-baby-boy-outerwear&t=NTBlMGVlODAxMTUyZTk0MmQ0ZDA5ZTU0YThjMjNmYjczMDA4YTFhZCxBRVB2QW5kbg%3D%3D) and [shortalls ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oshkosh.com%2Foshkosh-baby-boy-overalls1%2FV_424A674.html%3Fdwvar_V__424A674_color%3DColor%26dwvar_V__424A674_size%3D12M%26cgid%3Doshkosh-baby-boy-overalls1%23start%3D9%26cgid%3Doshkosh-baby-boy-overalls1&t=NjRhM2JhNjVkOGYxNjZiYTQ1ZGViYzllZWFmOWUwMGFkYjZiMWVlOCxBRVB2QW5kbg%3D%3D)and putting them aside before leaning forward and kissing Mike, a sweet kiss that makes Mike’s heart melt.

“Feel better?” Mike asks when Harvey finally pulls away.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“And don’t worry about the trial. You’ll be fine. Play the man, remember?”

Harvey grins. “I remember. It got me you, didn’t it?”

Mike can’t help but laugh at that. “You think you got me to fall in love with you by playing me? Harvey, you got me to fall in love with you because you _didn’t_ play me. Because you let me in and let me see the real you.”

“Such a romantic.”

“And so are you. Which I know. Because you let me see the real you.”

Harvey is chuckling when he kisses Mike, and Mike eases back onto the bed, bringing Harvey down with him. Alas, just as soon as Mike has gotten his hands under Harvey’s tee they are interrupted by Emmett’s cries. Normally they wouldn’t go running at the first cry, but Emmett’s been sick this week and really needs immediate attention. Mike lets out a soft noise of disappointment, and Harvey laughs, kissing Mike once more before saying, “I’ll go,” and getting off the bed. As he walks across the room to the door he points back at Mike and says, “Don’t go anywhere.”

Mike smiles fondly at him. “Never.”


	103. to be surprised

“So that’s it then?” Mike says, voice hoarse from all the yelling he’s been doing the last ten minutes.

“Yes,” Rachel replies, partly sad but mostly defiant. She slips the ring from her finger and places it on the coffee table. “Goodbye, Mike.”

She walks out the door without looking back and Mike feels the world fall away from under him. He just stands there in the middle of their lounge room - not theirs anymore he supposes - lost and confused and completely blindsided. Yes, they’ve been having problems lately, but he figured they’d get through them like they always did. He didn’t really think it would get this far.

He collapses onto the couch, drowning in the silence of the room. His eyes wander from his grandmothers’ ring to the bridal magazine Harvey got them, the same one they’ve been using to plan the wedding, several ideas marked with post-it notes sticking out from within the pages.

He picks it up and throws it across the room.

*

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks, Harvey.”

“What happened?”

“Rachel and I broke up.”

Harvey nods, looking at him thoughtfully. Mike hates it, hates that Harvey clearly thinks he’s going to break, that he isn’t strong enough for this. So he drops the file onto Harvey’s desk, doesn’t give Harvey the idea that he’d come up with, just walks out of the room.

*

Harvey finds him later that day. It’s the evening actually, night having long ago made its presence known outside Mike’s office window while he worked on.

“Come on, let’s go,” Harvey says without preamble.

Mike looks up from his laptop. “Where?”

“The nearest bar. You need to drink and you need to do it now.”

Mike has never been one to drown his problems in alcohol (because he used to drown his problems in drugs), but drinking himself to oblivion sounds pretty fucking great right now. He grabs his suit jacket and follows Harvey out the door.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Harvey asks, an hour and three drinks later.

“Do _you_ wanna talk about it?” Mike returns, because this is Harvey, and as much as Mike loves the guy they don’t really do the feelings thing. At least, not in the traditional sense.

Harvey looks at him intently, like he wants Mike to _get it_ when he says, “If that’s what you need to do. I’m here for you, Mike.”

The noise of the bar crowds around them like a comforting blanket. Mike could do it, he could spill his secrets and confessions in a room full of people knowing only Harvey would hear. And if there’s anyone he would want to talk to about this, it’s Harvey.

But Mike just shakes his head. “Another time,” he says, lifting his drink to his lips.

Harvey claps him on the shoulder. “ _Any_ time.”

*

Mike works late, every night, for weeks on end, because he doesn’t like being at home. The apartment holds too many bad memories, and whenever he walks in the door the first thing his eyes fall on are the bridal magazine on the floor and the ring on the coffee table.

*

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks for that, Harvey.”

Mike goes back to his work, can feel Harvey’s eyes on him despite his quiet dismissal. He ignores Harvey, even when the seconds turn into minutes, and then finally Harvey sighs, stepping deeper into the room. “Okay, that’s it,” he says, and there’s something about his tone, resigned and annoyed and final, that makes Mike finally look up. “Downstairs in five. Don’t be late.”

Harvey leaves then, not giving Mike a chance to argue. Not that he would anyway. Even though Harvey is technically no longer his boss, Mike always goes whenever Harvey calls. It’s a habit he can’t seem to break.

*

“Where are we going?” Mike asks. Harvey is standing beside the black sedan and he opens the door to Mike, doesn’t make Mike go around like normal, and doesn’t that just set the warning bells in Mike’s head off like crazy.

Harvey doesn’t say, not even when he slides into the car and Ray turns into traffic. Mike would press the point, but he knows better by now, and he trusts Harvey not to lead him astray, so he just sits in the car and listens to Ray’s music and lets the world pass him by.

At least, he does until it becomes obvious where they are going. And yet, when they stop outside his apartment building, it’s still somehow a surprise.

“What are we doing here?” Mike asks, turning to Harvey.

“Pack a bag. We’re going on vacation.”

“We’re doing what now?” Mike has to have misheard him. Even disregarding the fact that they are in the middle of a case, Harvey doesn’t do vacations, and he certainly doesn’t do them with Mike.

“Go upstairs and pack a bag. We leave in ten.”

And Mike - because he can think of no reason not to - does.

*

They make a quick detour to Harvey’s apartment. Harvey’s assistant Joshua is waiting by the curb with a packed suitcase by his feet, and he smiles happily at Mike as Harvey winds the window down. Harvey and Joshua chat for a few minutes, discussing how his calendar has been rescheduled and making plans for handling of cases, and then Joshua disappears for a moment to put the suitcase in the trunk before returning to wish them a good time and waving them off.

Mike wonders exactly what it was that Harvey told Joshua about their sudden departure.

They drive out of the city. Mike doesn’t know where they’re going, or for how long, and to be honest he doesn’t care. He can’t deny his shoulders feel lighter, his muscles more relaxed, the further they get out of the city.

“Thanks,” Mike says, voice low, still turned to the window.

“I haven’t done anything yet,” Harvey replies.

Mike smiles, even though Harvey can’t see. “Yeah, you have.”

*

Mike figures out their general destination long before they arrive, but when they pull up at the hotel he laughs out loud. It’s the first time he’s laughed in weeks. It feels good.

“Really?”

Harvey grins. “Come on.”

Mike shoulders his bag and follows Harvey into the Atlantic City hotel and casino, the same one they came to nearly three years previous even though Mike was never supposed to step foot in there again.

Harvey checks them in and they head up to their suite. Mike is surprised Harvey hasn’t gotten them separate rooms, but then they walk into the suite and Mike finds the bedroom and discovers that the room is probably the same size as his old apartment. It contains two king beds with a gap of about ten feet between them, so the sharing the one room thing starts to make a bit more sense.

“So what’s the plan?” Mike asks, dropping his bag and collapsing onto the nearest bed.

Harvey, like the grown up Mike will never be, places his suitcase on the luggage rack before removing his jacket and carefully laying it over the bag. He sits on the bed opposite Mike. “It’s up to you. We can hit the tables, grab a drink, have some food. We could go exploring the city, or make a booking in the day spa. Or we could just stay here, order room service and check out the three hundred channels provided to us.”

Mike sits up on his elbows so he can look at Harvey, confused. “I don’t get it. You didn’t bring me here for a wild night of drinking and gambling?”

“No. We can do that if you like, but no, that wasn’t why.”

“Then why did you bring me here?”

Harvey looks away, just for a moment, like he’s embarrassed or shy about what he’s about to say. Anyone else might’ve missed it, but Mike didn’t. “I bought you here to get some sleep.”

Mike just gapes at him, speechless.

“I know you, Mike. You haven’t had a full night’s sleep since it happened. I may not be a genius like some people in this room, but after everything that’s happened in that apartment it’s not hard to figure out why. You can’t subsist on red bull and coffee. You need rest.”

Mike doesn’t know what to say to that. So he doesn’t say anything at all.

*

They order room service and watch High Noon on the massive flat screen, Mike on one bed and Harvey on the other. It’s quiet, neither of them talking, not even quoting along with the movie, but it’s not uncomfortable either.

After the movie Mike decides he wants to go for a swim. Harvey declines the offer to join him, so Mike heads off, detouring past the lobby store to buy a pair of ridiculously overpriced swim trunks which he charges to the room.

The pool is practically deserted when he gets there, and he swims and swims and swims until his muscles ache with it. He rests against the side of the pool, eyes closed, water splashing in waves against his collarbones, and despite his exhaustion he feels like he can breathe easy for the first time in months.

When he makes it back up to the room Harvey has changed and is under the covers in his bed, sitting up against the bed head and reading a book as jazz music plays from somewhere in the room.

“Good swim?” he asks.

Mike nods. “Yeah, thanks.” He grabs his bag and walks into the en suite, showering and changing and readying for bed.

Harvey’s still reading when he walks into the bedroom. Mike slides under the covers of his bed, turns off the light nearest to the bed.

“I can turn this off, if you want,” Harvey says, and Mike isn’t certain if he’s referring to the music or the light he’s reading by. Either way, Mike doesn’t mind.

“It’s fine,” he says, and it is. It’s comforting. The music is a comforting background sound and the light reminds him that he’s not alone, that Harvey’s here with him. “Good night, Harvey.”

“Good night, Mike.”

*

Mike sleeps for nearly nine hours.

*

He’s groggy when he emerges from the bedroom. Harvey is sitting at the table, already dressed in jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt, eating breakfast and reading a newspaper.

“Good morning,” Harvey says, smirking slightly, and he pushes a cup of coffee across the table. “Got this for you.”

Mike collapses into the chair, taking a sip of the still hot coffee. There is a selection of breakfast food on the table, and Mike picks at whatever is closest.

“So how do you feel about checking out the beach today?” Mike asks.

Harvey smiles. “Sounds good.”

*

They walk the length of the beach, explore the boardwalk, and eat bad food. Harvey somehow manages to get Mike into some shops and he ends up buying a pair of Prada sunglasses and a Burberry trench that costs more than how much he used to pay in rent each month. It’s worth it though, for the approving grin Harvey gives him when he tries it on, and on his way to the checkout he grabs a scarf and buys it for Harvey.

It isn’t a normal day, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s the most human Mike’s felt in a long time. He lets Harvey choose the restaurant for dinner, and they eat tender steaks and drink delicious wine.

“Thanks for … well, you know,” Mike says, waving his arm ineffectually.

Harvey smiles softly at him. “You’re welcome.”

Mike would be content to leave it there, but Harvey sits forward, looks intently at Mike, and Mike braces himself for whatever is going to come next. Because Harvey has been pretty blasé this whole time, happy to go with whatever whim Mike has, hasn’t tried to get serious or talk about anything important. But Mike has a feeling that was about to change.

“You don’t know this, but when Donna left me, I started having panic attacks.”

No, Mike didn’t know that, and he’s absolutely floored by the revelation.

“I couldn’t … I didn’t _want_ to deal with her leaving. So I pretended that it was temporary, that she was coming back. When I finally allowed myself to admit that she never was, I started getting better.”

Mike knows an allegory when he sees one. “This isn’t the same thing. I know Rachel’s not coming back.”

“I know you do,” Harvey replies. Everyone knows this, since she gave her notice and moved to the West Coast. “And I could give you platitudes; tell you that you’re better off without her, that there are more fish in the sea. And even though I’d be right, I won’t say that. I’ll just say you need to figure out what it is that’s holding you back, that’s stopping you from moving on and getting better. Not for me, not for her, but for you. Because you deserve it, Mike.”

*

They head back home the next day.

When the car pulls up to his apartment building Mike reaches over and squeezes Harvey’s hand. “Thanks, Harvey,” he says sincerely.

“You’re welcome, Mike,” Harvey replies, voice too even to be anything other than genuine.

Mike gets out of the car and goes into his apartment. The first thing he does is pick up the bridal magazine from the corner of the room where he’s left it for the last few months. His initial instinct is to throw it out, to rid himself of every reminder of Rachel. But he can’t do it, finds himself hesitating. Because Harvey bought him this. Harvey doesn’t buy anyone anything, always had Donna or Joshua to get the presents required of him. But this, Mike knows that Harvey went out himself and bought the magazine and wrapped it up in that stupidly endearing ribbon.

He puts the magazine on the coffee table, beside the ring Rachel left there, and then he starts packing up his apartment. He doesn’t know where he’s going, he just knows he can’t stay here anymore. These four walls are like a weight, a chain around his neck that he drags with him everywhere he goes.

Harvey’s right. He needs to move on. And in this case, it’s also in the literal sense.

*

Mike moves back to Brooklyn. He doesn’t buy an apartment, just finds one he likes enough to rent. He feels better, getting out of that apartment, but he still feels slightly untethered, uncertain as to where his life is going. He’s not ready to commit to buying another apartment yet.

Harvey comes over once he’s all moved in, looking around the apartment and giving him an approving nod before saying, “Come on, let’s go get drunk. I’ll even let you take me to one of those hipster bars you’re so fond of.”

Mike laughs, a rush of warm gratitude in his stomach, so thankful that he has Harvey in his life. “I have a better idea.”

So they go catch the latest blockbuster, sharing a box of buttery popcorn between them, and once it’s over they buy some take out and a bottle of liquor and go back to Mike’s place, eating and talking until past midnight. Just because they can.

*

It’s a gradual thing. Days turn into weeks which roll into months which somehow become years. There’s no defining moment, it’s a series of increments, and with the passage of time Mike changes from being head over heels in love with Rachel to being completely over her. He’s in such a good place that he sends her an email, saying that he hopes she’s doing well and kicking ass at law school like he always knew she would. Rachel’s reply comes the next day, short but amiable, and Mike feels nothing. No longing, no anger, no resentment. He’s his own person again.

*

He tries dating again. It’s nothing serious, none of it lasts, but it feels good to try.

*

Sometimes, when Mike is cleaning the apartment, he’ll come across that bridal magazine, lying innocuously in the otherwise empty bottom drawer of his bedside table. He’ll look at it for a few moments, the first present Harvey ever got him, even though since then Harvey has given him two birthday presents and one Christmas present, gifts that came directly from Harvey and not Joshua, the items too knowing to be generic assistant bought presents.

Still, this was the first thing Harvey got him, and Mike tries not to focus on the fact that he associates it more with Harvey than he does with Rachel.

He closes the drawer, leaving it untouched and alone, finding somewhere else to put away whatever it was he was trying to find a home for.

*

It probably shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is. Mike is the one making the first move - crowding into Harvey’s space as they make pizzas in Harvey’s kitchen, fingers covered in tomato paste as they gently cradle his face, pressing their mouths together in a simple kiss - and yet it’s still an amazement. Because this is Harvey - _Harvey_ \- his former boss and best friend and most important person in his life and the person he loves most on this whole planet.

Okay, so maybe it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise.

Still, he’s kissing Harvey and Harvey isn’t stopping him and Mike is so shocked that he pulls back almost immediately, eyes wide and confused. “Shit, Harvey, I … I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be,” Harvey says, leaning in and kissing him, somehow making the kiss equal parts hungry and tender. Mike feels dizzy with it, Harvey’s fingertips pressing into this hip as their bodies press flush against each other. It feels too real, even though part of his brain can’t convince himself that this is simply a dream that he will awaken from. He runs his fingers through the short hairs at the nape of Harvey’s neck, mess be damned, and deepens the kiss.

Mike doesn’t know how long they stand there like that, and he doesn’t care. Eventually Harvey pulls away, panting and breathless. “Fuck, Mike.” He presses their foreheads together as they both try and regain some breath, and Harvey’s hand rests around the curve of his neck, thumb brushing his jaw. “I want-”

“Me too,” Mike says urgently, kissing him again. He doesn’t know what he’s agreeing to, just knows that he wants _everything_ with Harvey, and he thinks they’ve waited long enough. He wants it now.

*

Mike likes sex. Always has. It can be many things: fun, athletic, intense, lazy. It can be a great way to relieve stress. It’s a good way to connect to a partner. It can be used as a declaration or an apology. But to be honest, he’s never really felt that whole next level shit people always talk about it movies and write about in books. And that was fine, because he figured it was just romantic hyperbole, that it wasn’t true of anyone in real life.

But this, sex with Harvey, it’s _transcendent_.

Mike’s riding him, eyes closed and head thrown back as hips his move in delicious little circles. His palms are pressed to Harvey’s chest and he can feel every rise and fall, the way their coming together impacts on what should be an involuntary process. He can feel every hitch Harvey makes, and it’s dizzying.

He takes Harvey’s hands off his hips, clasps their fingers together and presses them into the mattress above Harvey’s head, leaning down and kissing him. The new angle does something amazing, and he kisses Harvey, their bodies moving with a more urgent need. His cock is pressed between their bodies and Harvey is panting into his mouth and Mike can feel every synapse in his body like it’s on fire. It’s fucking perfect.

Mike makes it his mission to get Harvey off first. He approaches the task with a focused zeal, and it doesn’t take long. Breaths become shorter and Harvey tries to arch up despite the lack of space available and Mike just keeps going, keeps moving and kissing until Harvey comes with a loud cry.

They take a moment, to catch their breaths, to luxuriate in this moment. Their faces are pressed together and Mike can feel Harvey’s breath on his face. And then, a gentle kiss on the arch of his cheek.

Harvey is still deep inside him and he’s still hard, but it’s almost like Harvey’s orgasm was all that he needed. He feels boneless, and he shifts to the side so he’s no longer atop Harvey. Harvey moves with him, their hips pressed together, Mike’s legs around him. Harvey kisses him, slow and deep, before getting a hand on Mike’s cock.

They lie there like that, lower halves tangled together, still joined together, staring straight into each other’s eyes as Harvey gets Mike off. There are words on his lips, struggling to be set free. But it’s not time for that yet. So instead Mike just says one word. “ _Harvey_.” He invokes the name as a lover would, like he never has before, and he says it over and over again until he can speak no more, a trembling mess wrapped up in the safety and warmth of Harvey’s embrace.

*

It’s like someone hits the fast forward button.

After a week they are practically cohabitating. What’s surprising is that Harvey goes to Mike’s place just as often as Mike stays over at Harvey’s. They talk and laugh and eat and watch movies and it’s like some things haven’t changed at all. But then Mike remembers he can kiss Harvey mid-sentence if he wants to, he can reach out and tangle their fingers together but for no other reason than he can, they can spend all night fucking each other’s brains out and deem it a perfectly good allocation of use for those hours.

Mike tells Harvey that he loves him three weeks after they get together. There’s no fanfare to it. Mike is lying on Harvey’s bed while Harvey is in the walk-in packing a bag to bring to Mike’s place when they go to his after work today. Harvey comes into the bedroom, bag in hand, and Mike just says it. “I love you.”

Harvey’s smile is a slow and beautiful thing. He walks over to the bed, leaning down and kissing Mike reverently. “I love you too. But if we don’t leave now we’ll be late for the meeting, so get your cute ass off the bed and let’s go.”

Mike laughs, kissing Harvey again before getting up and following him out the door.

It’s two weeks after that when Mike wakes up one morning, Harvey’s body a warm weight behind him, and Harvey mouths at the nape of his neck for a few moments before whispering, “Will you move in with me?”

Mike swallows thickly. “No.”

He can feel Harvey’s grip on him loosen slightly, so Mike turns over so he can face Harvey. “I love you, Harvey. I’ll spend the rest of my life with you, if you let me. But I can’t move in here. If we do this we need to find somewhere new, somewhere that’s _ours_.”

It’s not that Mike doesn’t love this apartment. He does. But he can’t live with the ghosts of Harvey’s past, either. He knows all too well what that can do to a person, and too many people have crossed its threshold for Mike to make a life here. He’s not judging Harvey, because everything that happened before they got together contributed to who Harvey is, and Mike loves who Harvey is. He just can’t live here.

Harvey’s relief is evident, and Mike will never get over that, how _open_ Harvey is with him. “Okay.”

*

When Mike packs up his place, ready to move into the most amazing apartment he has ever seen and live with the man he loves, he comes across that old bridal magazine. He smiles, fingers tracing the spine reverently.

He knows what he needs to do. In fact, he’s never been more certain of anything in his life.

Mike packs it in the bottom of his overnight bag and takes it with him when he goes over to Harvey’s that night. When they are getting ready for bed Mike pulls it out, hands it over to Harvey who looks at it with a flash of recognition but mostly confusion.

“Wanna pick out colours with me?” Mike asks, grinning.

It takes a second, but Harvey grins, tossing the magazine aside and kissing Mike with everything he has in him.


	104. Chapter 104

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://hegoesigo.tumblr.com/post/123151966679) gifset.

It’s been a week. Seven days since Mike turned up on his doorstep, with a suitcase in hand and an expression Harvey had never seen before lining his face. He’d invited Mike inside, put a glass of scotch into his hand, and asked Mike if he wanted to talk about it. Mike had shaken his head, swallowed the drink in one go, and headed straight for the guest room.

It’s been a week now. Mike hasn’t left, and he hasn’t talked about it.

Harvey knows, of course. The whole firm knows. Mike and Rachel are no more. What isn’t said, what hasn’t been explained even by the all powerful rumor mill at Pearson Specter Litt, is _why_ they broke up.

Harvey hasn’t asked Mike about it. He won’t do that, won’t be one more person prying into Mike’s life like everyone else is. He knows better than anyone how paranoid Mike can get about people looking too closely into his life (after all it was he who sparked this trait in Mike the moment he hired him) and he won’t add to the number of people trying to peer into the cracks and determine what went wrong.

It’s not that he’s not curious or tempted. He is. Of course he is. He might not have thought that Mike and Rachel were the best match, but he had to admit that Rachel made him happy and that, in the end, was all that really mattered. So of course Harvey has to wonder what bought about their implosion. But he won’t ask. Harvey could press the point if he wanted - and if they were both the same men they were when they first met he probably would. But they’ve come a long way since the day Mike’s briefcase of pot spilt onto the hotel room floor and Harvey won’t do that to Mike, won’t force him to open up before he’s ready.

Harvey has no doubt that Mike knows that he’s here for him.

So he doesn’t say anything. Sometimes when they’re eating dinner in the quiet of the condo Mike will look across the table anxiously at Harvey, like he’s worried Harvey’s about to finally cave and ask what happened, so Harvey just asks Mike what he wants to watch after dinner or regales him with details of his latest smack down with Louis. And Mike’s face lights up with a relief so earnest it quashes the constant idle curiosity Harvey has.

To be honest he’s starting to think Mike will never talk about it. That they’ll just continue on like this: living together in the same space and eating meals together and arguing over what to watch and not talking about it. And the weird thing is that Harvey would be okay with that. He’s never really enjoyed having someone in his space beyond the short term - he loves Marcus, Katie and the kids to death but if they come to visit for more than one night Harvey puts them up in a nice hotel a block away for this very reason - but having Mike here hasn’t felt like a burden. On the contrary, his apartment, which he has loved since the moment he first stepped foot inside, has never felt more like a _home_ than it has since Mike essentially moved in.

So Harvey doesn’t ask. 

Days continue to come and go and they both remain silent on the issue.

That is until Mike finally decides to bring it up. It’s late, long past midnight, and they’ve been at work since seven am trying to solve a case and when they finally make it home they’re exhausted but too wired to sleep so instead collapse on the couch.

Mike’s been flicking through the channels looking for something to watch for several minutes when he says, face still turned to the tv, “You’re never going to ask me, are you?”

Harvey shakes his head, but realizes Mike can’t see, so says, “No.” Mike does turn to him then, and Harvey adds, “I know you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

There’s a flash of something, maybe amusement, on Mike’s face. “I’ve wanted to tell you since it happened. I just wasn’t sure how you’d take it.”

Harvey tenses. “What did she do?” Because if Rachel did something like what happened last time with Logan then Harvey could well do something extreme in retaliation.

Mike smiles softly, obviously pleased that Harvey is ready to leap to his defense. “Nothing. She didn’t do anything. It was what I did.”

This unsurprisingly has little effect on Harvey’s nerves. “What happened?”

Mike takes a breath, like he just needs to stretch out this moment a bit longer. “The night Rachel and I broke up, we had this massive argument. About you.”

Harvey casts his mind back to that evening. Mike was supposed to be having dinner with Rachel and some of her extended family who had flown in from LA, but Harvey had found out that morning that Edward Brandt - the first client he had ever signed, who had been with him for decades - had passed away. Harvey had told Mike to go, but Mike had stayed with Harvey as he dealt with enacting his last will and testament, including all the necessary paperwork for Brandt’s son to take his place as CEO and on the board. “When you missed the dinner, because you were with me,” Harvey says.

Mike nods. “Yeah. I know how much loyalty means to you, so … I think it’s time to tell you the truth.”

“The truth about what?” Harvey asks, feeling suddenly nervous.

“She told me I had to choose. Her or you. I chose you.”

Harvey swallows thickly, unsure how to reply. “Why-” he clears his throat when the word comes out too hoarse, “why did you do that?”

Mike smiles then, kinda shy and nervous, glancing away. “Isn’t it obvious?” he asks. When Harvey doesn’t reply, Mike turns back to face him. “I’ll always choose you.”

Harvey can’t think, his heart hammering away in his chest. He reaches over, so slowly, somehow still scared that Mike will pull away, and rests his hand on Mike’s. Mike doesn’t pull away, on the contrary, he moves his hand so he can tangle their fingers together, face lighting with a bright smile.

“I don’t know what to say,” Harvey admits.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve heard those words come out of your mouth the whole time we’ve known each other,” Mike laughs. When Harvey laughs too Mike continues, “In fact, I think I need to mark this down for future reference. I’m going to get my phone -” Mike stands to get said object “- and mark my calendar as the day-”

Harvey doesn’t let him finish, pulling on Mike’s wrist and yanking him back down, using the momentum to meet Mike half way and silence him with a kiss. It’s perfect, the light pressure of Mike’s mouth as it moves against his, Mike’s hand pressing into his hip, like he wants to hold on to Harvey and never let go. The kiss is slow but not tentative, and Harvey can’t help but get his hands on Mike, cradling his face reverently, one more physical touch that reiterates that Mike is here, that this is really happening.

That everything is finally right with the world.


	105. Chapter 105

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://heartsuits.tumblr.com/post/124815046852) gifset.

“Did you say no pickles?” Mike asks as he struts - yes, struts, this morning’s win has definitely given him a confidence boost today - up to the cart.

“Did you ask me not to get pickles?” Harvey counters.

“Fair point.”

“You normally love pickles,” Harvey points out as Mike comes to a stop, his face turned expectantly towards the cart.

“Yeah, but I’m not really feeling them today.”

Harvey raises an eyebrow at him. “You’ve ordered pickles every week for the last two months and now all of a sudden you don’t want any. If you were a woman I’d ask if there was something you wanted to tell me.”

“Okay, first of all, I think the stereotype is that women crave pickles when pregnant, not that they suddenly don’t want any. Second of all, please never say anything like that ever again. And lastly, I just like to keep you on your toes.”

“Oh, is that what we’re calling it now?” Harvey says with a lascivious grin.

Mike looks Harvey up and down, slow and deliberate, before taking another step closer, right into Harvey’s space. “No, but we could. We probably should work out some safe for work phrase when we wanna talk about how we’ve been fucking each other’s brains out at any given opportunity for the last two weeks.”

Harvey tips his chin up slightly, challenging. “What makes you think I’ll ever want to be talking about that at work.”

Mike grins. “Because I know you, Harvey. We might not want to tell people what’s going on, but you love the thrill, the risk. You’d get off on talking about it in front of someone who has no idea what we’re talking about.”

Harvey wants to object, to deny, but he can’t. Because Mike’s right. He can only imagine how amazing it will be to talk about getting his hands and mouth all over Mike in such a way that whoever is in the room - Jessica, Louis, Rachel - has no idea. He hates that Mike knows him so well (okay, that’s a lie too). So instead he presses his mouth to Mike’s in a hard kiss (they’re far enough away from work to risk it), gratified when Mike lets out a moan and returns the embrace, fingers digging into Harvey’s hips.

“Order up,” the cart guy says, and they break away and collect the food from the totally disinterested vendor.

They start walking aimlessly while they eat, but it doesn’t take too long for Mike to break the silence. “So I booked us a meeting for…” he looks at his watch “… about fifteen minutes time, so we better get going.”

“Really? And where is this meeting taking place?”

“60th and Broadway.”

Harvey stops walking and just looks at Mike, who grins like an idiot. “My apartment building.”

Mike nods. “See, I’m in a bit of a _pickle_ and I need your very _assured_ and _skillful_ hands. All over my _case_. Right now.”

Harvey should not be turned on by Mike’s lame innuendo. He also shouldn’t be considering playing hooky in the middle of a work afternoon to go off and fuck his … whatever Mike is (they haven’t labeled it yet, but Harvey already knows it’s more than a casual fling). But fuck it he is. To both. So he grabs Mike by the wrist and drags him to the curb, hailing a cab and ignoring Mike’s satisfied laugh when he pushes him into the car.

Mike takes to telling Harvey about _the pickle of a case_ he has whenever someone else is in the room, just to fuck with him. But that’s okay. Harvey always gets his own back.


	106. return to me

When Mike opens his eyes his first thought is that he has no idea where he is. His memory, usually a constant source of reliance and answers, is failing him. He knows his name, what year it is, where he lives, he just can’t remember how he got here. And here is obviously a hospital, with the bright white light spilling from the hallway into the room to create a soft glow and the constant hum of medical machines breaking the otherwise silent space.

His second thought is that everything hurts. His head is pounding and his chest aches and when he shifts slightly in his bed he realizes that he has a splint on his arm.

The third thing he realizes is that Harvey is sitting beside his bed. He’s hunched over, head in his hands. Harvey’s suit jacket is nowhere in sight and his tie has been flung haphazardly over the back of his chair. There are two small red stains - one on the back of Harvey’s hand and one on his sleeve - and it doesn’t take a genius (even though, current memory lapse aside, Mike still is) to figure out that it’s Mike’s blood.

“Harvey,” Mike says, voice coming out in a hoarse croak.

Harvey’s head whips up like a shot, face a weird mixture of worry and relief, and then he’s on his feet, making the two steps to the bed in record time and sitting on the edge of the bed. He grips Mike’s hand - not the one with the splint - in both of his, his fingers wrapping around Mike desperately.

“How are you feeling?” Harvey asks in a low voice, eyes roaming over Mike’s body for a moment before returning to his face.

“Sore,” Mike says, and Harvey’s grip on his hand lessens, like he’s worried Mike’s talking about him holding his hand too tight and not the plethora of actual injuries he has. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” Harvey asks, a slight note of surprise in his voice. When Mike shakes his head, Harvey lets out a long breath before speaking, his voice slow and gentle. “We’d gone out to dinner at Bottega. I was still paying the bill but you went outside to hail a cab. There was … a driver lost control of their car; they careened up onto the sidewalk and hit you, and the impact sent you into the glass window of the restaurant.”

Mike lets that sink in for a moment. “Well, shit. No wonder I don’t remember what happened.”

Harvey laughs, a short inhale of laughter that disappears all too soon.

“I’m going to be okay though, aren’t I?” Mike asks, because he doesn’t remember the accident so he doesn’t know how bad it was (though that in itself probably indicates that it was pretty bad) and it seems like a pertinent thing to ask.

Harvey nods, slowly. “You banged your head pretty good, fractured your arm, bruised your ribs. You lost a lot of blood. But yeah, you’ll be okay.”

Mike manages to smile weakly. He feels like shit, everything aches, and he feels drowsy. He pulls on Harvey’s hand, and Harvey looks at him confused, but Mike keeps tugging until Harvey gets the message, leaning down so Mike can kiss him. It’s a simple pressing of lips, but it makes Mike feel better.

When Harvey pulls back he doesn’t go far, face inches from Mike’s as he whispers, “You scared me.”

Mike can only imagine the wreck he would be if their positions were reversed. Harvey looks pale, tired, but he still looks like Harvey, still has that indestructible inner strength that Mike so admires. “I’m sorry,” Mike replies softly. He kisses Harvey again. “But it’s going to be okay.”

Harvey nods, sitting back up. “You need to rest.” He lifts Mike’s hand carefully, pressing a light kiss to the back of it, before placing it gently onto the bed and returning to his chair.

“You should go home and get some sleep,” Mike says, because he has no idea what time it is but given the fact that the accident happened around ten pm and there isn’t any light coming in from behind the curtains on the other side of the room he’s guessing it’s the middle of the night and Harvey must be exhausted.

Harvey shakes his head. “I’m not leaving you.”

Mike smiles faintly, overwhelmed by the love he has for Harvey. He suddenly remembers something, a conversation they had, years ago now. He laughs softly, and Harvey quirks an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Do you remember that time you told me that if I ever worked hard enough to become sick from it you would’ve visited me in the hospital?”

Harvey lets out a light laugh. “I could’ve lived without ever finding out how it would feel seeing you in the hospital, you know.”

“I know. But I was just thinking …the you of two years ago might’ve come to visit me but you wouldn’t have stayed by my bedside overnight.”

Harvey just looks at him for a moment, face a little too neutral. He glances away and says, voice low like a confession, “Yeah, I would have.”


	107. Chapter 107

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://whatthehellisahoechlin.tumblr.com/post/116370992535/marvey-week-day-3-april-14th-favorite) gifset.

“This isn’t what we ordered. I’m going to sue them,” Harvey mutters out of the corner of his mouth before smiling at one of their guests who catches Harvey’s eye as they walk past.

The thing is, Mike knows that Harvey won’t care about this in a year or a month or hell, even a few days time. Because in a few days time they will be lying on a beach in Australia, a literal world away from New York and Pearson Specter Litt, as far away as they could get from everything they know.

The other thing is that Mike agrees with Harvey. Their wedding cake, which they paid a frankly ridiculous amount of money for, is not what they wanted.

It’s not _bad_. It’s nothing like all those cakes on _cake wrecks_ that Mike stumbled onto one day which caused him to spend days panicking that their cake was going to end up on that site. It’s not a wreck, it’s a perfectly nice, pretty cake. It’s also missing a tier, in completely the wrong colors, and it’s hazelnut mud when it should be marble mud.

Mike smiles. “Okay, I know as a lawyer your first instinct is to sue anyone who does something you don’t like, but I really don’t think that’s necessary.”

“We paid them an exorbitant amount of money and didn’t get what we paid for,” Harvey points out.

“True,” Mike allows. “But look.” He tips his head towards all the tables, where their one hundred and forty-two guests are all happily eating the hazelnut cake. “It’s fine, Harvey.”

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Harvey grumbles petulantly.

Mike can’t help but chuckle at that, leaning over and kissing Harvey. “I am on your side, Harvey. I’ve got your back.”

Harvey lights up at that, which was exactly what Mike had been hoping for. Their vows were by no means traditional, but they were theirs, and they were full of the promises that they had been making to each other since they day they met. _I’ve got your back_ might not seem like a romantic wedding vow to someone else, but for them, it meant everything.

“I’m your husband and I love you and when we get back from Australia if you really want to sue them I’ll support you. But I think we should just leave them a bad review online when we’re at home tomorrow, and I think you stop worrying about it and dance with me.”

Harvey grins at him, and Mike can practically see him let it go, his whole body relaxing with it. “Well, I suppose I did promise to always follow where you lead, didn’t I?”

“That you did,” Mike says, linking his fingers with Harvey’s and dragging him to the dance floor. The exact wording of his vow was actually _no matter what happens in this life I will follow you wherever you go_ and Mike knows that what he was really saying was that if their secret was ever discovered, if Mike had to cut and run, then Harvey would be by his side, would run with him. “But I think we both know that when it comes to dancing you’ll be the one doing the leading.”

“You know me so well.”


	108. Chapter 108

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/127285386218/soulslookingforhome-tattooedsiren-this) gifset / tags.

It’s not like this is the worst thing that could happen.

Because when it became obvious that Louis knew something Mike started to panic, started preparing excuses and deflections in his mind for when Louis accused him of not actually graduating from Harvard. And it feels wrong to feel just a hint of relief in this moment, because even though that secret is safe the _other_ secret they are keeping has just been laid open for all and sundry to see.

Mike glances over to Harvey, who for all his talk about Mike wearing his heart on his sleeve is now the one openly glaring at Louis while Mike manages to keep his face fairly neutral. Mike doesn’t know what to say, how to respond to this, because Louis just accused them of being in a relationship and Mike never thought to come up with a plan or exit strategy for if they were confronted on this.

Because Harvey and Mike _are_ in a relationship, and after the whole fake-lawyer thing this is the second worst thing that could happen.

“Bullshit,” Harvey finally says. Mike watches Louis’ face, somehow becoming even more delighted, and Mike’s stomach tightens. Louis looks far too gleeful for this to be an unfounded accusation. He has something.

This is proved when Katrina slides a folder across the table at them. Mike doesn’t want to look, doesn’t want to see what it is Louis and Katrina have to use against them, to get Harvey to do what they want. But he also needs to know, has to see what they’ve seen, so he forces his eyes down to the table as Harvey opens the folder.

It’s a series of photos of the two of them, all from within the last week. There’s a photo of them leaving Harvey’s apartment building together with the photo time-stamped at 6.37am. There’s a photo of them having dinner by a restaurant window, a candle flickering on the table as Mike is laughing and Harvey is grinning. There is a photo of them dressed in casual clothes, walking hand in hand down a random street. There is a photo of them kissing, a photo that must’ve been taken just at the right moment, because Mike remembers this, remembers leaning over and giving Harvey a quick kiss before getting into a cab to go back home and pack some more clothes to bring to Harvey’s place.

“You were saying?” Louis says, fucking ecstatic at having Harvey caught out in a lie.

Harvey looks at Mike then, for the first time since Louis tried to blackmail Harvey into doing what he wants by accusing them of breaking Pearson Hardman’s Code of Conduct rules. Harvey looks stricken. And in this moment Mike hates Louis, hates him for putting that look on Harvey’s face, hates him for exposing something private and trying to cheapen something incredibly important to them both.

“What do you want?” Mike asks.

“You know what I want,” Louis says.

“No,” Harvey insists. Mike can’t believe he’s even asking. No way will Harvey give in to Louis’ ridiculous demand.

“Fine, then give me Mike.”

Mike physically startles at that. He thought the days of Harvey and Louis fighting over him were long gone, partly because Harvey always won but mostly because Louis has Katrina now. And even though Katrina has gone down in his estimation slightly for being partied to this whole thing, she’s still a kickass lawyer and Louis is lucky to have her.

“No,” Mike says, before Harvey gets a chance to. He can practically feel Harvey vibrate with rage beside him, and he fervently hopes this doesn’t escalate like it so often does between Harvey and Louis.

It physically hurts not being able to lay a comforting hand on Harvey’s arm like he wants to.

“Well those are your two options, Harvey. Make your choice or live with the consequences. You have one hour.”

Harvey stands and storms out of the room, leaving Mike to trail along afterwards. When he gets to Harvey’s office Harvey is pacing the floor. “You’re not actually going to give in to that dick are you?” Mike asks.

“Of course not. I just need to figure out a plan, see if I can find something on him as leverage.”

“Seems unlikely. Pretty sure Katrina wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole.”

“Who would?” Harvey says. They share a brief smile before sobering again.

“I’m sorry, Harvey,” Mike says softly. And he is. The thing is, he loves Harvey. They haven’t said it yet, despite being together for nearly three months, but it’s been on the tip of his tongue pretty much since that first night, when an evening working in Harvey’s condo turned into eating take out and drinking too much and tumbling into bed, laughing the whole time. He wouldn’t give up the last three months for anything. But it’s been like a dream, stealing moments here and there, living in the shadows hoping no one will discover the truth. And this is waking up. This is Mike, once again, being used against Harvey. And Mike could abide anything but being used against the person he loves most in the world.

Harvey’s face softens, and he stops pacing, even taking a step closer to Mike. “It’s not your fault, Mike.”

“Yeah, it kinda is. I was the one who kissed you, remember?”

Harvey smiles then. “I remember. I also remember spending the previous three hours doing everything in my power to _not_ kiss you.”

Despite everything, Mike can’t help but return the smile, even managing to take a step forward, like he’s being pulled by a magnetic force he can’t control. “What are you going to do?”

Harvey lets out a long breath. “I don’t know.”

Mike hesitates to suggest this, but it’s the only solution he can come up with. “We could … take away his power.”

Harvey looks intently at him. He knows what Mike is suggesting, knows how serious this is, that it’s not something that can be taken back. “Are you sure?” Harvey asks, voice low and pointed.

Mike nods. He won’t lie, he’s nervous, and this could still backfire spectacularly depending on how generous Jessica is feeling when the news of it inevitably reaches her ears, but he’s not ashamed of Harvey and this is the best solution he can come up with.

“Okay,” Harvey nods. He heads out of the office, briefly squeezing Mike’s hand as he passes, and Mike follows along, walks the familiar path down to Louis’ office.

When they get there Harvey pokes his head into the office and tells - not asks - Louis to follow him. Louis looks intrigued and happy, and he clearly thinks they are on their way to Jessica’s office for Harvey to give in to Louis’ demands. But instead Harvey leads them to the bullpen, to the hive of activity where the Associates spend sixteen hours a day, the only quiet corner of the whole room where Mike’s desk is empty.

“Alright everyone, listen up,” Harvey says, voice raised but not to the point of yelling, and everyone stops in their tracks and turns their attention to their Senior Partner.

“For the last three months Mike Ross and I have been in a romantic relationship. We’ve kept it private because, quite frankly, it’s none of your goddamn business. And don’t mistake me telling you today as proof that you get to comment on it. It’s _still_ none of your goddamn business, but someone who shall remain nameless,” Harvey glances to Louis here, as if it wasn’t obvious anyway, “is trying to use it against me. I _will not_ have our relationship used against me and I won’t have it used against Mike. Whatever you think about this, I don’t care, but just remember before you say anything that Pearson Hardman have anti-discrimination rules in place and if anyone even toes the line of harassment or discriminatory remarks you will be held accountable for it. Any questions?”

There is nothing but stunned silence. Not even Louis says anything, and when Mike glances at him he looks equal parts embarrassed and angry.

“Good, now everyone get back to work.”

Everyone does, the room returning to its usual buzzing state. Everyone looks pretty uninterested, and though Mike knows that’s probably not the case, he doesn’t regret it. While it’s been good keeping their relationship to themselves, there are definite bonuses to no longer having to hide it now.

“That goes for you too,” Harvey says gently to Mike. “I’ll meet you at Silver Chopsticks at seven, okay?”

Mike nods, still somehow surprised when Harvey leans over and presses a swift kiss to his lips. He gives Harvey a brief smile, one that tells him that he’s okay, that _they’re okay_ , and Harvey returns it. Mike glares at Louis briefly before he turns away; he might be okay with everyone knowing now but he’ll never forgive Louis for trying to use him against Harvey and putting them in this position to begin with.

And as he walks back to his desk he hears Harvey telling Louis,“ If you ever come after me or mine again _you’ll_ be the one having to live with the consequences.”


	109. Chapter 109

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU in which Harvey drunkenly proposes to Mike, Mike drunkenly posts it on the Pearson Specter Litt facebook page, and Harvey and Mike wake up to a world in which everyone thinks they’re engaged. The problem? They aren’t even actually dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for this was a bit of a wild ride. I reblogged a list of [(fake) engagement AU](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/129562013743/aangisdead-really-feelin-that-fake) prompts. teamfreewill- [wanted](http://teamfreewill-.tumblr.com/post/129624040734/aangisdead-really-feelin-that-fake) me to write all of them. I made [a post](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/129629357194/teamfreewill-mentioned-you-in-a-post) about one scenario in particular. xehahn (undetach) said maybe a gifset would inspire me. So she made a gifset and I helped her tweak it, she [posted it](http://xehahn.tumblr.com/post/130173676771/au-in-which-harvey-drunkenly-proposes-to-mike), and then I reblogged and added what you are about to read. See, a wild ride lol.

Mike’s life is a not a song of any kind, but if it was, apparently it would be a Jamie Foxx song.

_Blame It On The Alcohol_ indeed.

Mike might be able to blame the alcohol for this mess, and it would be a legitimate course of action, but it still somehow feels like a lie. Because Mike has been pushing and pulling at Harvey, demanding more, wanting to be let in, since the moment they met. And Harvey might’ve been the one to drunkenly propose marriage, but Mike was the one that said yes. He was the one who hacked into the Pearson Specter Litt facebook page to announce it to everyone. He was the one who actually meant what he said.

He might not remember much about last night, but he remembers that.

So yeah, this is all his fault, and the thing is he’s not worried about what people are saying about him. The other Associates reactions when they showed him the post on facebook made it obvious, and to be honest Mike was too distracted by the memories of the previous night flooding back as he read the rather long and romantic post announcing their engagement (where phrases like _soulmate_ and _can’t imagine my life without you_ abounded) to care what they thought. All day he’s heard people whispering about him. But he’s always been an oddity here, so it didn’t really bother him. No, what worries him is Harvey.

He hasn’t seen Harvey all day, and it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that the day after someone (ie Mike) hacked into the official PSL facebook page and announced the engagement of a Name Partner and his former Associate that those two people have been kept apart. What Mike can’t figure out is if it’s because of a higher power (ie Jessica) or simply Harvey wanting nothing to do with him.

He vainly hopes it’s not the latter.

Still, Mike can’t go on like this. He needs to know how they are going to fix this. Because they aren’t even romantically involved let alone actually engaged, and now that the whole world thinks that they are they need to come up with some kind of plan. So Mike scrapes together every ounce of courage he has and walks into Harvey’s office without knocking, closing the door behind him.

“We need to talk,” he tells Harvey, voice authoritative like there’s no room for argument. He hopes it comes across as confident and not simply trying to pretend like he has any idea what he’s doing, which is the actual truth.

“Not here. Eight o'clock, the usual place,” Harvey replies, and then he goes back to his laptop in a clear dismissal which Mike has no choice but to obey.

Meeting in a bar probably isn’t the best idea considering that this morning when Mike woke up sprawled on Harvey’s living room floor with a god awful hangover he swore off drinking as he stumbled out of the apartment (Harvey nowhere in sight) to get into work on time. And yet when eight o'clock rolls around that’s exactly where he finds himself. Harvey’s at the bar already and Mike’s stomach churns. He tells himself it’s the thought of drinking more alcohol and not the anxiety he feels over what is about to happen.

“Hey.”

Harvey turns to look at him, smiling softly. “Hey.” He slides one of the two drinks in front of him over to Mike, and Mike wraps a hand around it but he doesn’t lift it to his lips.

“So,” Harvey says after a painfully drawn out silence. “Spring or fall wedding?”

Harvey looks completely earnest about it, and confusion and panic flood Mike, but then Harvey starts to smile slowly, and Mike can’t help it, cracking up with laughter.

“Asshole,” he murmurs, the word full of affection. And just like that, Mike isn’t worried anymore. They’ll figure this out somehow, they always do. “How much do you remember about last night?”

Harvey shrugs. “Bits and pieces. You?”

“Same. Why did we think it was a good idea to get drunk at the office?”

“Because our ideas are normally such good ones,” Harvey suggests, deadpan, and Mike can’t help but laugh at that.

“Okay, but seriously, what’s the plan?” Mike asks.

“I have no idea. Too many people know about it for us to say it was just a drunken mistake…”

“But we’re not actually engaged or even dating, yeah. There’s no real solution here.”

Harvey nods thoughtfully, glancing away.“There is one option,” he says, taking a sip of his drink. He then looks like he immediately regrets it, putting the glass on the bar and pushing it away slightly. He looks back at Mike, and noting Mike’s raised eyebrow he continues. “Do you - do you remember what I said to you, when I asked you to marry me?” Harvey asks, and if Mike didn’t know any better he’d swear Harvey was nervous.

“Uh…” Mike thinks about it for a moment. They’d been in the elevator. Mike had been whining to Harvey about something, and Harvey was trying to placate him. Mike sorts through the fog of his memory to get to the specifics. Mike had been complaining and Harvey had told him … C _ome on Mike, you know you’re my favourite person. In fact, you’re so much my favourite person we should just make it official. We should get married_.

Mike flushes as the memory washes over him. “Yeah, yeah I do.”

“I meant what I said about you being my favourite person. So, I don’t think we should get married, but I do think you should let me take you on a date.”

It takes a moment for the words to sink in. If Mike’s honest he’s known for a long time that his feelings for Harvey were of the more than friendly variety, but he never really expected it to go anywhere. But Harvey is smiling softly at him and Mike knows Harvey, knows this isn’t a joke, and suddenly it’s like everything is falling into place.

Mike grins, and feeling emboldened he steps right into Harvey’s space. Harvey doesn’t move back, in fact, he puts a hand on Mike’s hip, and Mike loves the firm press of his fingers. “On one condition. We don’t go somewhere that serves alcohol for our first date. You know, just in case you propose marriage again I want to be sober enough to answer properly this time.”

Harvey laughs, leaning in. “Deal.”


	110. many a true word is spoken in jest

The only sound in the room was the constant _tap tap tap_ as the pen flicked back and forth, hitting the paper with a soft thud. It was a habit Jessica had tried to break for years, because when you’re trying to win against the person opposite you it’s never a good idea for them to know that you’re impatient or frustrated or worried or any of the hidden meanings behind the simple action. But here, in the quiet of her office, she thinks she can indulge herself. Because it’s nearly eight am and Harvey still isn’t here and if she has to walk into that conference room alone and late then they’ll lose the upper hand and she won’t have that, not today.

Jessica is on the verge of calling Harvey to find out where the hell he is when the man himself finally strides into her office.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says, face open and relaxed in a wide smile. He’s also adjusting his tie, which makes no sense because it’s already perfectly straight. “I was doing things.”

“I’m things,” Mike announces, following Harvey into the room, three steps behind like usual.

Jessica rolls her eyes. These two and their stupid jokes. “The Sagan settlement is in five minutes, I don’t have time for your shenanigans–“

“ _Shenanigans_?” Harvey echoes, laughing.

“-or whatever this is. Please, just tell me you found it.”

“Of course we did,” Harvey replies, holding a hand out to Mike, who deposits a manila folder into it. He closes the distance between them and places the folder on Jessica’s desk. She quickly opens it, scanning through the pages. Good. This could work.

Jessica looks up, mouth open to thank Harvey and Mike for their good work, but the words never come. The two men – and really, that’s probably a generous characterization given what she’s witnessing – are having some kind of silent discussion that appears to be half argument and half amusement.

She has no idea what’s going on, and to be frank, she doesn’t care. Those two have always had a strange simpatico, a way of communicating and working together that yields oftentimes extraordinary results. The downside of that is that she has to deal with them being them and everything that comes with it; playing Horse in the office and quoting movies to opposing council and whatever other random thing they feel like doing that day. But it gets results, so she’s happy to let them be. If they keep doing what they’re doing, if the work continues to be good and the billables continue to be large, they could elope to Paris for all she cared.

As long as they came back in time to settle the Sagan case, of course.

“Good work,” Jessica says, standing. “Are you ready?”

“Born ready,” Harvey smirks. Jessica catches Mike rolling his eyes behind Harvey’s back and tries not to smile.

“Go kick ass,” Mike tells them, and she doesn’t say anything, just gives him a slightly condescending look as she passes. Mike swallows nervously, eyes flicking to Harvey, and as soon as she’s passed Jessica grins to herself. Always good to keep that one on his toes.

“So,” Harvey says once he’s finally caught up to her, “wanna tell me why you want to take down Sagan’s lawyer so badly?”

“Mind your business,” Jessica says. The truth is her reasons are petty and beneath her and yet she still wants to squish that weasel to the ground. “Oh, and Harvey, if you and Mike don’t stop joking around at the office people might start to suspect something.”

Harvey just chuckles and mutters something under his breath she can’t hear. She’d ask what it was, but they’ve reached the conference room and so there are other things to think about. Time to take this sucker down.

* * *

* * *

“I heard you kicked ass today,” Mike says in greeting when Harvey walks through the door.

“You bet your ass I did,” Harvey replies, grinning cockily. He walks over and kisses Mike in greeting, and then once more, just because he can. “And it’s such a fine ass too.”

Mike rolls his eyes, but the quirked lips say it all. Harvey heads over to the fridge and gets himself a drink. “What do you feel like for dinner?”

“Don’t care. Anything hot that can get here fast.”

“Pizza it is,” Harvey says with a nod, pulling out his cell and ordering from their favourite restaurant four blocks away. He heads to his bedroom to change out of his suit, and then joins Mike on the couch.

“So, Jessica still thinks we’re joking,” Harvey says, laughing.

“Seriously?” Mike exclaims. “I can’t believe she hasn’t figured it out yet. How much more obvious do we have to make it?”

“Maybe we should have sex in her office,” Harvey suggest with an eyebrow wiggle.

“Or we could just tell her,” Mike points out, always the reasonable one.

“But this is way more fun.”

“What - dropping subtle hints about being together or having sex in her office?”

“Both.”

Mike chuckles. “Well how about we drop some less subtle hints and if that doesn’t work we’ll leave having sex in her office as a backup.”

Harvey grins, leaning over and kissing him. “Deal.”


	111. so much for endings

Mike Ross was about to become a free man.

He hadn’t been a free man in over five years ( _five years, four months, one week and two days actually, or would you prefer it broken down by days or hours?_ his brain not so helpfully supplied) and today he was walking through those doors and going back into the world.

He’d known from day one, from the moment he and his cheap suit walked into Pearson Hardman (back when it was still Pearson Hardman and not one of the dozen iterations it’s been since then) that there wasn’t going to be a happy ending to his story. There were brief moments when he thought that maybe he could cheat fate – when he was lying in bed with Rachel or having a drink with Harvey or helping a client who had nowhere else to go – but inevitably life course corrected and he was reminded that there would be no happy ending for him.

There were a finite amount of ways this could end, and he really hadn’t been surprised when the worst eventually came to pass. He’d deserved it.

His only consolation, those days and nights in that tiny cell, was that Harvey was safe. He wasn’t lying when he told Robert that he’d never sell Harvey out. He’d sooner die than betray the man who had given him everything worth having. But what he didn’t say, even if he knew it, not only from the moment they arrested him but years before, was that he’d also sooner die than be used to get Harvey. And that was what was happening. They were going after Harvey and they were using Mike to do it and they wouldn’t stop - no matter what tricks he and Harvey tried, no matter what small wins they had - they kept coming and coming and Mike wouldn’t let them win. Not ever.

So he made a deal. It wasn’t just some idle whim, something done in the heat of the moment. Mike knew from the moment this started that if it got too bad he’d do it to save Harvey. So when Gibbs showed him the papers authorising Harvey’s arrest Mike very calmly confessed, told her he did it and no one knew and he could never implicate Harvey because Harvey was innocent.

Harvey had been pissed, Rachel even more so, but it was done. It was finally fucking over.

Relief shouldn’t have been a word to apply to confessing, but in a way it was. It was over; the lying, the conspiring, dragging good people down with him at every turn.

And then he was shuffled off to prison, and reality hit.

He never regretted his decision, not once during his five years and change, not even during his worst moments, because he did this, he deserved this, and Harvey didn’t. So he just put all his energy into simply surviving.

And he did. Because that’s who he was. He’s a goddamn survivor.

He went through the motions for his release: met with this person, signed that form, changed out of his jumpsuit and into his old suit, went here and there as directed, all in a daze. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy to be leaving - he really fucking was - but he went into prison with a fiancée and friends and he was pretty sure he was leaving without either.

He hadn’t seen Rachel in over two years. She’d promised to stand by him, to wait for him, and she did. For a little while. But then the gaps between her visits became longer and longer, and two years ago she came for a visit and never returned. He didn’t blame her, not really. He’d made the deal without consulting her and his eight year sentence was a long time to wait for someone. She was an amazing woman with too much to give to put her life on hold for him. It hurt, of course it did, but in the end he understood.

Harvey was unwavering. He visited every week, like clockwork, giving Mike anything he needed. Mike was pretty sure he was bribing guards or inmates or someone because his time had been relatively pain free, but Mike figured in this case ignorance was bliss. After Rachel stopped visiting Mike would ask Harvey about her - why she wasn’t coming, if she still worked at Pearson Specter Litt and Soloff, was she okay, had she spoken to Harvey about him - and Harvey would look away and change the subject and Mike wouldn’t push it. It’s not like he had any choice in the matter. He was in here and Rachel was out there and that’s how it was.

A year after Rachel stopped visiting Mike started refusing to see Harvey - _Harvey -_ the one person who still came to see him. It was the most difficult thing he’d ever done, refusing to see him, knowing Harvey had made the effort and was right then waiting in the visiting room. But Mike couldn’t do it. He was only halfway through his sentence and as much as it pained him he had to let Harvey go. Harvey didn’t owe Mike anything, and just like Rachel he was someone who deserved to be taking advantage of every moment this life afforded them, not wasting his days making the trip out to see him. It took a while, months in fact, but finally Harvey got the message and stopped coming.

It was a long walk through the labyrinthine building, but he finally passed that last door, that final barrier, and he was free. He was stepping out into the free world for the first time in five years (four months, one week and two days) a man who was completely alone, with nowhere to go and no idea what to do.

“Mike.”

Mike looked up at the sound of his name, so certain about who it was and yet he still couldn’t believe it. Because that was Harvey. Harvey was here, just standing there in dark jeans and a white Henley, waiting for him like there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be.

“You’re here,” Mike said, voice think with emotions he couldn’t name, and he moved slowly towards Harvey, still not believing what was right in front of him. “You came.”

“Of course I did,” Harvey said simply, and then Mike was hugging him, arms thrown tightly around Harvey’s shoulders, face buried in his neck. Harvey’s arms around him felt like home.

Mike hadn’t touched anyone in years, not really. He might bump into people in the hallways or knock elbows during meals, but he couldn’t remember the last time he reached out and touched someone because he wanted to, and with his memory that was saying something. He hadn’t thought to miss it, because that just the way things were, but he hadn’t been wrapped in a comforting embrace like this since the day he went in and fuck, turned out, he really did miss it. So he kept clinging to Harvey, long after what would be socially acceptable, but Harvey didn’t pull away. He just let Mike hold onto him and Mike loved him for that.

“How did you know?” Mike asked, and then realised Harvey might not have heard since he was still pressing as close to Harvey as humanly possible, so he reluctantly pulled away, and Harvey let him go. He opened his mouth to repeat the question - because Harvey certainly didn’t find out about his release from him - but Harvey beat him to it.

“Does it matter?” Harvey returned, and no, it didn’t. “There was no way in hell I was letting you leave without being here to meet you.”

Mike smiled slowly, the action feeling foreign on his face. “Thank you,” he said earnestly. He’d never meant those two little words more than in this moment. “And I’m sorry for not seeing you when you came to visit. It’s just, I couldn’t-”

“Mike, it’s fine, I get it. You don’t owe me anything.”

But no, that wasn’t right; it was Harvey who didn’t owe Mike anything. Despite how it turned out Mike could never regret the time he and Harvey had together, and he could live a thousand years and still owe Harvey for the opportunity no one else would ever give him. He wanted to tell Harvey as much, but before he could Harvey was saying something about having something for Mike, and he ducked back to his car, pulling open the door and reaching inside. Mike followed, confused and intrigued. Harvey turned back with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bagel in the other. “Just the way you like them.”

Mike burst out laughing. It felt really good.

Harvey grinned as he handed them over. Mike took a sip of the drink - it was warm instead of hot but still better than anything he had on the inside - and had a bite of the bagel. He’d missed this.

They were silent as Mike ate, leaning against the side of the car. Mike wasn’t really in a hurry to get into the car; not that he didn’t want to get away from here, because he really fucking did, but he’d had a lot of time being confined to small spaces and wasn’t relishing getting into another small space so soon. And besides, the breeze was cool but the sun was beating warmly down on them and it was a great day. He was happy to enjoy it in companionable silence with Harvey for a moment.

When he finished eating Mike said, “I could probably eat a hundred of those.”

“Just say the word and we’ll buy you as many as you want.” He roamed a critical eye over Mike. “Looks like we need to fatten you up a bit.”

He’d said it through jest to hide his real concern, Mike knew. And it was probably warranted. His suit, which fit like a glove five years ago, now hung loosely on his shoulders.

Mike couldn’t think about that now though. His mind was already too scattered, going in a million directions. It too was being released from prison today, and it no longer only had to think about getting through each day, making it one day closer to his release. He was out now, and his brain was wild with it.

“Look, about Rachel-”

“It’s okay, Harvey. You don’t have to tell me.” And even if Harvey wanted to, if Rachel wanted to pass on some message to him through Harvey or something, he wasn’t ready to hear it, not yet.

“Okay.”

Mike looked at Harvey then, really looked at him. And Harvey let him. He hadn’t changed much since they’d seen each other last, was still the most stupidly attractive man he’d ever seen in real life. He’d missed Harvey like a phantom limb and it still hadn’t sunk in that he could see him again. “So, Harvey, how are you? How’s the firm?”

Harvey nodded. “It’s fine. At least, Jessica tells me its fine.” Off Mike’s confused look he adds, “I quit. About six months ago now.”

Mike could literally feel his jaw drop. “Wha - but you - why?”

“It was time. I needed to feel … well, free.”

Mike glared at him then, because _really_? You wanna use that word to a guy just released from _prison_?? But in truth there wasn’t much heat in it. Mike knew how much he loved his work but he also knew how suffocated Harvey felt by it at times. He had always wanted the best for Harvey, and he was glad Harvey had finally gotten out.

Mike wanted to ask Harvey if he was happy, but he didn’t. It felt like too much. Mike cut Harvey out of his life, he didn’t get to ask questions like that.

But then again, maybe he did, because Harvey was here. Mike still had no idea why though. Why did he come for Mike when Mike had so thoroughly extricated himself from Harvey’s life? What did this all mean?

“Harvey,” Mike said, clearing his throat and straightening up, “why are you here?”

“I’m here for you,” Harvey replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Why? To pick me up and drop me off in the city somewhere? Pretty sure I don’t have my apartment anymore. Gonna let me crash on your couch? I ruined your reputation and cut you off when you were just trying to be my friend and I don’t deserve your help. I just – what are we doing here Harvey? What am I doing here?”

“Look, Mike,” Harvey said gently, stepping forward and placing a hand on his arm, “I knew leaving today was going to be difficult for you because you’re you and you think you’re all alone in the world. Guess what, you can’t get rid of me. You made a noble attempt, I’ll give you that, but you’re my guy. You’ll always be my guy. And nothing or no one can change that.”

Mike was too overwhelmed to say anything, but he couldn’t stop the soft smile he gave Harvey.

“I know how horrible the last five years have been for you. How claustrophobic it was. So here’s my plan. Let’s get out of here, anywhere in the goddamn world you wanna go. Let’s go to beaches or mountains or deserts or any wide open space you like. Let’s turn our backs on everyone who turned theirs on us first. Let’s go find somewhere where you never have to feel the walls closing in on you, either literally or figuratively. What do you say?”

Mike didn’t say anything, just closed the space between them and hugged Harvey again. It was, incredibly, even better this time. Because Harvey wasn’t just here, he wanted to _stay_. He wanted to be by Mike’s side.

“I know we’ve never said it, not directly, not to each other, but I really fucking love you.”

Harvey chuckled, and it felt like the world. “Ditto.”

Mike pulled back, looked Harvey in the eyes. “Are you serious about this?”

Harvey nodded. “I’ve already sold my condo and the other properties I own. Money won’t be an issue. We can go wherever you like, for however long the mood takes us. Maybe we’ll come back one day, maybe we won’t. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Mike just grinned.

“So, are you in?” Harvey asked, like it was a genuine question, as if there was actually an answer to be given other than yes.

“Where do we go first?”

Harvey smiled, and they finally let each other go and got into the car. “Your choice.”

“I don’t care, as long as it’s far away from here.”

“How about those two tickets to Buenos Aires?”

Mike glared. “Too soon, dude. Too soon.”

Harvey laughed, driving them away from the concrete and bars, driving them to their next adventure, their new life. Mike had no idea what awaited them, but maybe he was wrong before. Maybe it was too soon to say he didn’t get a happy ending. He was still here, still breathing, and still had Harvey by his side. For the first time, he thought that maybe a happy ending was possible after all. 


	112. in another life

Mike was exhausted. It had been a solid week of late nights, he and Harvey sprawled in Harvey’s lounge, surrounded by a sea of paper. He’d stopped keeping track of time, because what was the point. He hadn’t seen the inside of his own apartment in days: Rachel had been popping by when she could, bringing fresh food and fresh clothes and fresh eyes. But she had a job that took up the better part of her day so mostly it was just him and Harvey, working like mad to find something, a loophole, a hidden precedent, anything to get them out of this mess.

Point being, he was sleep deprived and mentally exhausted and emotionally wrecked and Mike couldn’t be held responsible for his actions. Because when Harvey found something, when he reached out and slapped Mike on the arm to get Mike’s attention with his eyes still glued to the paper in front of him, when he handed over the heavy book with a grin and Mike read what he pointed to, the first words out of his mouth were, “Oh my God, Harvey, I could kiss you right now.”

Harvey chuckled in a way that was borderline hysterical (the man was probably even more sleep deprived than Mike: he was always still going when Mike nodded off and already up when Mike awoke). “I’m so relieved I could let you.”

Mike laughed, the sheer joy of possibility overtaking his weary body. He finally looked up and saw Harvey, grinning stupidly, and in that moment there was literally no one on the face of the earth who loved someone more than Mike loved Harvey. He saved him, once again Harvey saved him and Mike loved him and they were sitting so close, it was so easy, he leaned forward with every intention of -

Mike pulled back just as quickly, sobering in an instant. He looked away, just couldn’t see Harvey’s face and whatever expressions were currently colouring it because Mike knew none of the options would make him feel better.

“What’s wrong?” Harvey asked.

When Mike looked up, Harvey was staring intently at him. He couldn’t look away this time. Harvey started slowly moving towards him, the pace so infinitesimal Mike wondered if it was actually happening at all. “If I kissed you right now, I don’t think I’d ever be able to stop,” Mike confessed in a whisper, his mind too tired to conjure pretence.

“Who says I’d want you to?” Harvey challenged, and Mike wanted to groan with it, for finally having some hint that those long buried feelings might actually be reciprocated.

“We can’t,” Mike protested, and he hated how weak it sounded to his own ears.

Harvey didn’t say anything, but he didn’t stop moving either. He was so close now that Mike could feel his breath on his lips but before the gap could close completely Mike stood up, taking a few steps away. He looked out the windows to the constantly sparkling city as he took a deep breath. He couldn’t do it. He wanted to so fucking badly, but he couldn’t do that to Rachel, no matter how strongly he felt for Harvey too.

“Sorry,” Harvey said.

“Don’t be,” Mike replied, turning around. Harvey had stood from the couch but hadn’t made any steps towards Mike. “If things were different…”

Mike smiled weakly, gratified when Harvey returned it.

“I should go,” Mike said, reaching for his hoodie and shucking it on. Harvey nodded, didn’t try to stop him, didn’t say anything as Mike started to walk away.

Mike had made it a grand total of five steps before he was turning back, striding across the room with purpose, not stopping until he got to Harvey, throwing his arms around him and kissing him. It was the most desperate and urgent kiss he’d ever experienced, and somehow it wasn’t soured by the underpinning feeling of sadness. It was raw and real and Mike was right, it was near impossible to stop. He just wanted to drown in Harvey, to throw everything away because what else could possibly matter outside of them and this exultation of feelings between them.

But life didn’t work that way, Mike of all people knew that, and so he pulled away, knowing that this was their first and last and everything in between. Harvey let him go, looking dazed and wondered and Mike knew that this, walking away from Harvey in this moment, would be the hardest thing he’d ever do.

“In another life,” Mike whispered, and he didn’t even need to finish the thought, because Harvey was already nodding, and that right there was why Mike thought that Harvey could well have been his soulmate, that other half with which he couldn’t live without. Because Harvey knew that despite whatever was between them Mike still loved Rachel, and he was committed to her. And maybe things could’ve been different, if they found each other first, if they’d let themselves admit this back when they first met. But they didn’t, and Mike had Rachel now, and that was that.

This was their punishment. This was the price they paid for how they met, for what they did, the lies they told and crimes they committed. They might want each other, but they couldn’t be together, and they had their whole lives ahead knowing that things should be different and it was their own fault that they weren’t.

Mike, being the masochist he was, reached over and gently cupped Harvey’s face for a moment, and just as Harvey was reaching up to grasp his wrist Mike let his hand fall. The movement was too late, just like always. Timing had never been their strong suit. Maybe they’d get it right in their next lives. At least, Mike thought as he walked out of Harvey’s apartment, he really hoped they did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for today. I'm sorry to leave you on such an angsty note. I swear that fic was like the 'one in every two years' fic from me in which things don't end happily. So you should be safe with my fics for another couple of years now. :O)
> 
> As always, feel free to hit me up on [tumblr](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/) if you wanna say hi.


	113. Chapter 113

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by 5x13. I wrote a little fic and the fabulous Mandy (pearsonspecterlitt) made [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/139263233925/pearsonspecterlitt-mike-looked-exhausted-and#notes) awesome gifset to go with it.

Mike looked exhausted, and Harvey didn’t blame him.

The trial was weighing on everyone, and Harvey hated Gibbs for this, not just for arresting Mike but for going after everyone they loved. If she’d just gone after Mike and left it at that it would be horrible, it’s true, but it would’ve been manageable. This going after everyone in their lives bullshit was a bridge too far, and to be honest, none of them were coping very well with it.

But they needed to be. They needed to be unified, and right now they weren’t, at least, not enough.

“Do you remember when you went to work with Sidwell, how it felt being on opposite sides of a case?”

Mike looked up from his file, forehead crinkled in obvious confusion at this apparent non-sequitur. “Of course,” Mike said, but his tone was still uncertain, like he had no idea why this was relevant to the case and he was worried about where this was going.

“I do too. I never want that happening again. And the reason it happened last time was because we didn’t listen to each other, we didn’t trust each other, and it’s a mistake I’m not willing to make twice.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that we need to talk more. I’m saying that I think this plan to go after Gibbs like she’s going after us is stupid, but if you think it’s the only way, let’s talk about it and make sure that it will work. I’m saying that whatever happens in the coming weeks, no matter what evidence she has or what curveballs she throws, we don’t overreact. We sit down and talk it through.”

Mike was staring at him like he had no idea who Harvey was, which okay, that hurt a little. “What brought all this on?”

Harvey chuckled, completely without mirth. “Someone reminded me that the lack of communication was the reason our relationship failed. And I don’t want that to happen with us. I’m not losing you to this trial, and I’m certainly not going to lose you to something as stupid as not communicating properly.”

Mike ducked his head, trying to hide his smile. “I think that’s the most I’ve heard you talk about feelings since the day we met.”

Harvey’s laugh was completely genuine then. “Yeah, well, brace yourself, kid. This is only just the beginning.”

“What happened to the asshole lawyer who didn’t care about anything or anyone?” Mike asked, only half joking.

“He found someone to care about,” Harvey replied honestly. Because it was true. The Harvey of three years ago and the one that sat on this couch were completely different and yet entirely the same. And it was all because of Mike. But before they could get lost in the moment Harvey moved the conversation along, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy. “So, Mike, we need to talk about Rachel.”

Mike tensed before his eyes. “What about Rachel?”

“She doesn’t have spousal privilege, which means when they call her to the stand, and they will call her, she will either need to perjure herself or plead the fifth. Neither are options you’ll be able to live with, and I know that a time is going to come when the pressure is on and you’ll have to choose: Rachel or me.”

“I’m not turning on you, Harvey,” Mike insisted. There was one thing that never wavered with Mike, and that was his vehemence that he’d never turn on Harvey. It warmed Harvey’s heart, but it also scared the crap out of him, because he wanted to believe it but he didn’t trust that he could.

“And I would never turn on you, Mike. But Rachel is the woman you love and I know in this moment you find it inconceivable that you’d ever turn on me, but if it really came down to it, if knowing that whatever decision you made meant it was going to destroy either me or Rachel, could you really do that to her?”

Mike opened his mouth, whether to protest or surrender Harvey didn’t know, because he couldn’t hear it. He had to keep going, had to get this out while he still could.

“And I want you to know that no matter what happens, no matter what you do or who you choose, you’re my friend and I will always love you and support whatever decision you make. You’re my guy, and nothing will ever change that.”

Harvey let out a deep breath. There, he’d done it, no more screwing over relationships that mattered to him because of all the things he couldn’t say. He said it, and the world didn’t come falling down around him.

Mike was just looking at him, wondered but also slightly calculating, like he was trying to work this out. Harvey could practically see the light bulb going off over his head.

“This whole thing, you telling me how you feel, wanting us to have better communication: it was because you chose me, my secret, over Scottie, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Incredibly, that made Mike smile. “Harvey, you have to know that I love you too. And you chose me over Scottie. Is it really so hard to believe that I would choose you over Rachel?”

“This isn’t the same.”

“Maybe not, but that doesn’t change the outcome. I’m choosing you, Harvey. Every goddamn time.”

And Harvey believed him.


	114. Chapter 114

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Person A is in bed reading a book. Person B enters and climbs into bed with them. Without looking up person A raises their arm so that person B can crawl under and snuggle up with them. Person B falls asleep. (for anon)

There weren’t that many silver linings to Mike’s secret being discovered and paraded around New York for all and sundry to see.

It changed everything. Yes, they got their mistrial and despite Gibb’s anger she didn’t attempt to try the case again. Mike wasn’t jailed but he couldn’t walk around Pearson Specter Litt without people whispering behind his back, he couldn’t go in to fight for a client because the other lawyer wouldn’t take him seriously, he couldn’t go before a judge without worrying that they thought he was a fraud and would be prejudiced against him and his client.

It was just as bad for Harvey. His reputation tanked, and clients rumbled about suing for malpractice even though Mike was never convicted. The firm found it difficult to find good new hires, and the three name partners were constantly at each other’s throats.

So basically despite the initial rush when they escaped conviction, life then continued to go on just as it had before.

Harvey had never thought he’d be the type to run away from a fight. He’d never been that way before, but things were different after Mike’s arrest. _Everything_ was different after Mike’s arrest. His life had been thrown into sharp relief and the one thing to come out of it was how much Mike mattered to him, how much he couldn’t be without him.

After that the answer was simple. He needed to leave. He couldn’t be around Mike and not have him the way he wanted. He couldn’t keep fighting with Jessica and Louis, two people he both loved and respected. He couldn’t analyze every interaction with Donna and wonder if she was being genuine or if she was still in love with him.

This wasn’t the life he wanted, and he needed to get out.

So he did. He left, moved across the Atlantic Ocean, and then miracle of miracles, Mike followed him. He showed up on Harvey’s doorstep after Harvey had been in Barcelona for a month. And they’d been together ever since.

They’d acclimated to their new life with surprising ease. They both worked not because they needed the money - between the sales of both their apartments, Harvey’s savings and his payout from PSL they were set for life - but because they both still wanted to engage in the world. Mike worked part time as a tutor teaching English and Harvey worked for a local law firm. He couldn’t be an actual practicing lawyer, at least not until his accreditation came through, but he could still help out with research and strategy in the meantime. He left home at nine and was home by six and he spent every evening with Mike - having dinner at home or wandering the cobblestone streets or curled up on the couch watching dubbed television shows (his Spanish was getting better every day but sometimes he just wanted to turn off and stop thinking so hard, and when Harvey said as much Mike usually wiggled his eyebrows and pushed Harvey back into the couch).

Life was good.

They’d only been together for six months but Harvey knew Mike was it for him. In truth he’d had an inkling from day one, a feeling deep in his chest that Mike was important, _integral_ , but he didn’t know then the extent to which Mike would be essential to his happiness. And he was. So much so that Harvey wanted to propose.

They’d both organized to take next week off work to go exploring (six months in Europe and they still hadn’t left Spain, which was completely shameful in Harvey’s opinion) and were still contemplating where to go - Harvey wanted London and Mike wanted Paris - but now that he’d decided to propose he knew it had to be Paris. So while he waited for Mike to get home (one of his students wanted an extra-long lesson due to an impending trip to Australia) he booked their flights and found the most opulent hotel he could for them (Mike would definitely baulk at the extravagance but Harvey knew that he’d secretly love it).

It was while he was booking the hotel that he got a text from Mike saying he’d be home late because Elisabet was freaking out about her trip and he wanted to give her some extra time. So Harvey went ahead and had dinner and afterwards read a book in bed (he’d picked up Mike’s love of reading somewhere along the way - Mike claimed he was rubbing off on Harvey, a line he always delivered with a wink, but Harvey knew that it was because sometimes it was more relaxing to read in English than to watch something in Spanish. He still indulged Mike’s claims once in a while though. It usually ended up working out pretty well for him).

Harvey was engrossed in his book when Mike finally made it home. Harvey glanced up as he stumbled into the room to see Mike kicking off his shoes, bone tired. “Hey,” Harvey said, before going back to his book.

“Hey,” Mike murmured, and as soon as Harvey felt the dip in the mattress he lifted his arm up and sure enough, Mike slid in under it, curled up against Harvey’s chest. Harvey laid his hand flat on Mike’s back, felt the rise and fall of Mike’s breathing. “Sorry I’m late,” Mike added.

“It’s fine,” Harvey replied. He was nearing the end of the chapter, so waited until he was done to give Mike his full attention. When he got to the end - which annoyingly ended on a cliffhanger, but Mike was home now so it would have to wait - he returned his attention to Mike. “So I was thinking we should go to Paris next week,” Harvey said, lips quirked.

No response.

“Mike?”

Still nothing. Harvey twisted so he could see Mike’s face and yup, he was already asleep. Harvey chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of Mike’s head before grabbing the blanket that was covering his feet and spreading it over them both. He put his book on the bedside table and turned off the lamp. The good news could wait. They had their whole lives together after all.


	115. Chapter 115

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I received two separate Hamilton themed prompts from fabulous anons, so I combined them into this. The prompts were:
> 
> the lyric 'I'm willing to wait for it' or 'love doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints'.
> 
> a mike x harvey fic with them like quoting Hamilton back and forth at each other.

“… And remember, ladies and gentlemen, love doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints. It takes. And it takes. And it _takes_. Thank you.”

Harvey uses every ounce of his professionalism to not burst out laughing. Mike joins him at the table and no one has noticed - the jury and the judge and opposing counsel are all suitably stone faced - and it takes everything Harvey has not to laugh. Because Mike just quoted a fucking Broadway musical in his closing and no one noticed.

Once the jury has been lead out and the courtroom has emptied Harvey turns to Mike and says, “I can’t believe you quoted Hamilton in your closing argument.”

“Seriously? I’ve been listening to it non-stop for two months. You should be grateful it’s taken me this long to quote it. And hey, maybe if you actually decided you wanted to see it with me then maybe I wouldn’t listen to the soundtrack on repeat to the point where I’m thinking in Hamilton lyrics.”

“ _Mike_.”

“Come on, you know I totally caught you humming _One Last Time_ the other day. Why can’t you just admit you wanna see it?”

Harvey lets out a deep breath. If only Mike left well enough alone, but then again if he did that he wouldn’t be the frustrating, amazing genius that Harvey fell in love with. Still, at times like this, he wished Mike was a little less persistent.

“Are you sure you wanna know this?” Harvey warns.

“Yes.”

“Really sure?”

“ _Yes_. Come on Harvey, what’s going on?”

Oh well, it was a good attempt. He’d managed to keep it secret for the last two months. That was something. “Lin is a friend of a friend and I got us tickets to go see it next month for your birthday.”

Mike’s jaw drops and he slaps Harvey’s arm, hard, which Harvey thinks is totally uncalled for. “Oh my God, Harvey! How could you not tell me?!?!”

“It was supposed to be a surprise!”

Mike just gapes at him for a moment, and then he starts packing up all their stuff like a man on a mission. “Okay, we need to go back to my place right now.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s closer and we need to have _going-to-see-Hamilton_ -sex right now.”

Harvey rolls his eyes, which Mike of course sees.

“Come on, Harvey. You know you can’t _Say No to This_. Let’s go back to _The Room Where It Happens_. I promise you’ll be _Satisfied_. Don’t make me _Wait For It_. _I’ll be Your Obedient Servan_ t and _Blow You Away_.”

“Pretty sure you got that last one wrong,” Harvey points out, smiling.

Mike leans over and kisses him, a long and lingering kiss that drives Harvey wild. “Pretty sure I didn’t.”


	116. Chapter 116

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Mike being the Archangel Michael who was just content watching humanity until he met one Harvey Specter. (for specter-und-ross)

The one thing that Michael has learnt from an eternity of watching humanity is that nothing ever changes. There are good people and there are bad people. There are good people who think they are bad. There are bad people who think they are good. The only thing that ever really changes is the balance between how many good and bad people there are, and unfortunately for humanity right now the balance is leaning towards the latter.

The world’s in a precarious state, which makes it the worst possible time for Michael to see _him_. His name is Harvey and from the first moment Michael sees him he’s enraptured. Michael has no idea why - he’s been watching humanity for a millennia and Harvey is by no means the smartest person Michael’s ever seen, or the most beautiful, or the kindest, or the most generous. But there is something about the man, something that tugs at the very core of him, and Michael finds his attention wandering when it should be focused on other more important things.

He resists as long as he can, but he needs more. He needs to see Harvey up close, needs to talk to him, to touch him. So he descends from on high and waits one morning by Harvey’s favourite coffee cart. It doesn’t take long, Harvey rushing up ten minutes later. He orders and makes chit chat with the vendor and all the while Michael watches him from the corner of his eyes while he lingers by the sugars. Finally Harvey sees him, and that brief eye contact sends shivers down Michael’s spine. Harvey smiles briefly, automatically, before going back to chatting with the vendor. And then he’s gone as quickly as he came.

Clearly watching every courting ritual throughout the expanse of time has not helped him gather the confidence to say something in the presence of Harvey Specter.

So he keeps going back. Every day. And every day it’s the same; some brief eye contact, maybe a smile, and before Michael can gather the courage, before he can tell himself that today is the day, Harvey’s gone.

It takes two weeks. Fourteen consecutive days until Michael can gather the courage and his very eloquent opening line is, “Hey.”

There’s no one else around, being in the middle of corporate New York on God’s day and all, so Harvey has to know that the word was meant for him. Still, he looks surprised, like he hadn’t counted on the stranger he’s seen for a fortnight actually speaking to him.

“Hey,” Harvey replies noncommittally.

“I’m Michael,” Michael says, taking a step forward.

“Harvey.” He stays where he is.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go out some time.” That was how humans spoke wasn’t it? It’s been so long since he’s interacted with a human beyond the bare minimum, and this is the first time ever it’s for his own desires. He doesn’t know how to do this and he has a feeling that however this is supposed to happen, it’s not like this.

Harvey’s forehead crinkles slightly. “Sorry, but … I don’t even know you.” Harvey looks like he’s going to continue talking but then his phone rings, and he at least looks apologetic as he answers it. He talks to the person on the other end, grimacing slightly. He then asks them to hang on for a moment and looks at Michael. “Sorry, Mike. I gotta take this. I’ll see you round,” and then the phone is pressed to his ear and he’s gone.

Michael doesn’t go back to the coffee cart.

He stops looking for Harvey, tries to refocus his attention to where it should be.

Months go by before he sees Harvey again. Michael’s sitting in the corner of a low lit bar, watching a young woman about to start down a path that she not only won’t be able to change but that will bring untold devastation to the city. She’s waiting for her contact but she’s wavering, and Michael’s here to try and pull her back to the right side. He can’t directly interfere, but his presence is a guiding light, and she feels it, feels his love and protection, and she turns right instead of left and leaves before her contact arrives. Thousands of people have no idea that their lives just got brighter.

He’s feeling pretty happy with himself, and that’s when he sees Harvey. Because Harvey is standing right in front of him.

“Mike, right?”

Michael nods, and Harvey joins him at the table. Michael had been so focused on his work he didn’t even realise Harvey was here, and suddenly after all those months they are pressed together in the small booth as Harvey signals a waitress over to order drinks for them.

“Haven’t seen you around the coffee cart lately,” Harvey says.

“Work’s been keeping me busy,” Michael smiles.

Harvey chuckles. “I can relate.”

“What is it you do?” Michael asks, because he’s not supposed to know, and then they’re talking, like any two other people in this world talk. Michael isn’t an angel and the right hand of God in this moment. And he feels something he’s never felt before. He feels humanity.

They have a couple of drinks, though the alcohol doesn’t affect him, and Harvey is slow to drink, like he’s lingering, dragging the whole thing out. His eyes sparkle when he talks to Michael, mouth curved up in a smile that makes Michael’s insides turn to jelly, and for the first time Michael doesn’t think, he just acts. He leans forward and kisses Harvey.

Harvey is receptive. Very receptive. Michael feels flushed and desperate and his fingers press into Harvey’s chest, wanting to feel his oh so human heartbeat below his palm but there are too many layers in the way. There are too many layers.

“Do you leave nearby?” Harvey asks against his mouth, and Michael tries not to laugh.

“No, I’m nowhere near here.”

“Wanna come back to my place?”

Michael does. Harvey leaves some notes on the table and grabs Michael’s hand and they are hustling through the city streets. If Michael had a heart it would be beating out of his chest by now. When they get to Harvey’s building Harvey presses him against the wall of the elevator and kisses him again, like the brief interlude between the bar and here was a million times too long. They stagger into his apartment, stripping clothes as they go, and Michael finds himself in Harvey’s bedroom, the city sparkling outside the large windows for a moment before Harvey switches on a light, murmuring, “I want to see you.”

He’s not supposed to want this. He never has before, and right now he’s both wondrous and unsurprised by it. Because of course he’d never felt this before, he was waiting for Harvey, only Harvey could be the one to make him want to abandon everything he has known from the dawn of time and just live in this moment, always.

“You’re so warm,” Harvey says, fingertips tracing down Michael’s chest to his pants.

“You’re so real,” Michael counters, and Harvey looks slightly confused but ultimately flattered by Michael’s comment. And then Michael kisses him, as deep as he’s able, as they continue stripping each other of all their layers until there’s nothing else.

Michael gets onto the bed and Harvey trails afterwards, smiling down at him. Their naked bodies press together and Michael feels so tangled up in this he doesn’t know how he’ll ever get out again. Harvey rocks their bodies together, pleasure like Michael has never known firing throughout his body. It’s amazing. Harvey kisses him, kisses down his neck, rocks their bodies together and Michael wants _more_.

He pushes Harvey away, and Harvey looks confused, hurt, but then Michael turns over onto his stomach, spreads his legs, and when he looks over his should Harvey’s smiling again. Harvey kisses him and shifts over his body. Harvey is a warm weight covering him, and Michael needs Harvey inside him, needs them to be joined together, wants it more than he has ever wanted anything.

“Please,” Michael murmurs, lifting his hips slightly. “Harvey.”

He can feel more than hear Harvey chuckle, and then he’s kissing down Michael’s spine, from the nape of his neck all the way to the small of his back, and when he’s done he sits back and Michael can feel him freezing there.

“What’s this?” Harvey asks, voice rough with concern, as he reaches out and runs his fingers along the skin just under his shoulder blades. He knows that to humans they look like scars, and he doesn’t blame Harvey for being curious. However since he can’t exactly say _that’s where my wings come out_ he just twists slightly so he can reach out, touch Harvey on the thigh, let his hand trail across to Harvey’s cock. “It’s nothing,” he says, wrapping a hand around him. “I’ve had them for as long as I can remember. They don’t mean anything.” He consoles himself with the lie knowing that at least the previous statement was correct. And Harvey’s eyes are fluttering closed as Michael touches him, so he thinks Harvey won’t think too hard about it right now. “Come on, Harvey,” he says. “Fuck me.”

And Harvey does. The preparation is pleasurable but there’s a measure of efficiency to it which Michael in no way objects to. And then Harvey’s there, pushing in, inside him, and Michael has seen the face of heaven and it was nothing compared to this. His fist grips in the white sheets as Harvey moves, their bodies rocking together. He can feel Harvey’s thighs against the back of his own, can see Harvey’s forearm by his head where Harvey is holding himself above Michael. Harvey presses in deep and Michael moans.

“Fuck, _Mike_ ,” Harvey says, and he sounds as wrecked as Michael feels.

Michael reaches up, slides a hand around the back of Harvey’s head, guides him down for a sloppy sideways kiss. He keeps him there, their whole bodies pressed together as they fuck, Harvey’s breath on his cheek. He wants it to last forever but the pleasure building in him won’t be denied. He doesn’t even need to get a hand on himself - Harvey’s weight is pressing him into the sheets and the friction is working its magic on him. He comes with Harvey’s name on his lips, and Harvey isn’t far behind, moving faster and faster until he comes with a cry. He collapses onto Michael’s back, their warm and damp bodies sliding together. Harvey carefully pulls out but doesn’t move away, and Michael angles his head enough to kiss him. They keep kissing, despite how breathless they both are, and eventually Harvey slides off him and pads into the next room, returning with a washcloth. Michael turns onto his back and Harvey cleans them both up, and when done he crawls back over Michael, knees pressed into the mattress between his spread legs, theirs bodies pressed together as they kiss again.

They talk for a while, but then Harvey eventually falls asleep. Michael doesn’t sleep, not the way humans do, but he wants to try, to share this with Harvey. He closes his eyes and lies there, tangled up with Harvey, and before he knows it dawn is breaking and it’s a new day.

Harvey stirs, and Michael has seen enough of human interaction to know that he should’ve been gone before Harvey woke up. He sits with a start, but Harvey has opened his eyes and is smiling sleepily at him. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” Michael replies.

Harvey’s smile falters. He looks confused, and not the _what are you still doing here_ kind. “Your back, they’re-”

Michael doesn’t let him finish. He’s up off the bed and rushing into the en suite, naked as the day God molded him, to see for himself. He looks over his shoulder and sees his back in the mirror. They’re gone. His wings, there is no way for them to be released. He thinks he knows what this means but he can’t quite believe it. He glances up, sees beyond the ceiling and the sky, and he can feel the answer in his bones. _One life, one human life, before returning to God’s service._

Michael - no, he’s Mike now - smiles. Harvey is standing behind him, and he catches Mike’s gaze in the mirror. “You okay?”

Mike grins. “Yes. Never better.”

Harvey presses a kiss to the top of his shoulder. “Do you wanna stay for breakfast. Maybe we could get to know each other a bit better.”

“I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably one of my fave mini-fics I've written and I wish I could've expanded it into something bigger...


	117. Chapter 117

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: accidentally proposing (for anon)

Mike officially knows more about the meanings of different flowers and the politics behind seating charts than he ever imagined knowing.

He’s lying on his bed, surrounded by magazines and binders, and his head is swimming with it all. But he keeps reading, because Jenny left this with him as homework, and if he knew accepting Jenny’s request to be her best man (“it’s better than man of honour, and besides, apart from my soon-to-be husband you are my best man”) came with homework he might’ve said no.

Okay, he still would’ve said yes, but it would’ve been nice to have a heads up before he started drowning in colour charts and invitation designs.

He reads through all the bridal magazines and checklists Jenny left him with (“this is just phase one, Mike, wait until it comes time to actually start choosing things”), and when Harvey walks into their bedroom an hour later Mike’s reading an article on the differences between mermaid and fit and flare - because apparently there is one - and thanking his lucky stars that all he has to worry about is his tux.

“Something you want to tell me?” Harvey asks, an amused glint in his eyes as he takes in the scene before him.

“Adam finally proposed, so Jenny wants me to help her plan the wedding.”

“Of course she does,” Harvey says, shedding his jacket and shoes before joining Mike on the bed and leaning over to kiss him hello. “Looks like she bought every bridal magazine there is.”

“Pretty sure she bought more than that. I think I saw several back issues in here. Either that or she’s been secretly buying bridal magazines for the past year hoping Adam would be propose.”

“Sounds like good planning to me,” Harvey says, reaching for the nearest magazine and opening it to the first marked page.

Mike finishes his article and moves on to the next one Jenny highlighted: unique wedding and reception venues in New York.

Mike doesn’t know what makes him say it. But before he even realises it his mouth has opened and he’s saying, “If I ever got married I think I’d want a destination wedding. Small, intimate. Be able to start the honeymoon straight away, you know?”

“What do you mean _if_?”

Mike puts the magazine down and turns to Harvey, surprised. This must be showing on his face because Harvey raises his eyebrows in silent question. “I mean, it’s not as if you’d ever marry me. Which is fine,” he hastily adds, “because we’re together and happy and that’s all that matters, right? It’s not like you need a marriage certificate to validate a relationship.”

“Of course I’d marry you, Mike.”

Mike’s heart is suddenly beating very fast. “You would?”

“Why are you so surprised by that?”

“I don’t know, coz we’ve never really talked about it I guess. And with you never committing to anyone before me, and what happened with your parents I just figured…”

Harvey sits up properly, turns to give Mike his full attention. Mike feels the weight of Harvey’s stare like a physical presence. “Mike, I didn’t commit to anyone before you because I couldn’t find anyone worth committing to. I was waiting for you. And as for the rest of it, you are I are not my parents. We are _nothing_ like them.”

“So you would marry me?”

“Of course I would,” Harvey says, voice impossibly fond.

Mike smiles slowly, reaching over and clasping Harvey’s hand. “Hey Harvey, will you marry me?”

Harvey’s returning grin is a thing of beauty. He leans down and kisses Mike. “Yes.”


	118. Chapter 118

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: Just because I want something doesn’t mean I want it with just anybody. (for justimberlake)

You know that quote, about _falling in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once_. Well, that’s how realisation came to Mike.

It was the little things at first. Forgetting dates with Rachel when he and Harvey stayed late to work on their case, or forgetting plans he and Rachel had made and offering to stay back and help Harvey on cases that weren’t even his. He’d feel bad every time, apologetic in the face of Rachel’s soft disappointment, but then the same thing would happen again a few weeks later.

Then came the things he did on purpose. He’d hear Rachel on the phone with her parents, planning dinner for later in the week, and he’d get on his cell and organise a dinner meeting with a client for the same night (he’d tell Rachel that he was sorry but he knew she saw through the lie - she’d stopped trying to get Mike and her father to get along). And then a few weeks later she booked a meeting for them with one of the best wedding planners in the city, and Mike got inordinately angry about it, saying that they didn’t need it and he wasn’t interested in having a planner and why didn’t she tell him before organising the meeting before he stormed out.

And then Mike got arrested.

Everything focused down to that, to that one lie that was at the centre of their lives, and nothing else mattered. He was fighting for his life - they were _all_ fighting for their lives - and Mike watched as the people he loved were targeted by someone who didn’t even really seem to want him, she wanted Harvey, and that was something Mike would never allow.

It had been weeks of fighting, and he and Harvey were working late in the office, prepping for the trial. It was late, long past midnight, and they were both exhausted but still here, always here. They were working on how to counter anything Donna or Rachel said if Gibbs called them to the stand, and Harvey said, in a tone that Mike couldn’t decipher, “You know, if you were actually married to Rachel then she’d have spousal privilege and we wouldn’t need to worry about her.”

And that was it, the moment of realisation: _he didn’t_ want _to marry Rachel_.

He loved her, but he had been slowly pulling away for months, because he didn’t want to marry her. And the idea of Harvey talking about him marrying Rachel twisted at his insides in a way he didn’t anticipate, because Mike suddenly realised; all those things he thought he wanted with Rachel … he actually wanted them with Harvey.

It was surreal, sitting there in the middle of Harvey’s office, surrounded by boxes of files, Harvey’s beloved jazz filtering through the air, and all he could see was them, together, married, a tiny and perfect baby resting in Harvey’s arms, both of them so fucking happy.

“You okay?” Harvey asked, shaking Mike from his reverie.

“Yeah,” Mike croaked, even though he wasn’t okay, not at all.

He couldn’t deal with this now. It wouldn’t be fair to any of them if he dropped this bomb on the eve of trial. He’d fight for his life and if he won (he couldn’t even say _when_ he won, because it honestly seemed so far out of the realm of possibility right now) he would get his life back in order and live it the way he wanted.

A week later and Mike was a free man. The first thing he did was quit his job. The second thing he did was break up with Rachel, who was understandably hurt and furious, things he could never imagine coming out of her mouth and he deserved every bit of it. The third thing he did was turn up on Harvey’s doorstep with a suitcase in hand.

Harvey smiled, and let him inside.


	119. if you're in prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/143960543424/helloooo-babe-you-are-one-of-my-fave-marvey#notes) ask.

Mike slides into the cab and gives the driver Gibb’s address.

The car pulls into traffic and with shaking hands Mike pulls out his cell phone and texts Harvey, tells him that he’s taking the deal. It’s the coward’s way out, and he knows it, but he can’t bear saying the words to Harvey’s face. And he has to do it, take the deal, because after everything - all the fighting Harvey has done for him, all the trouble he has caused in Harvey’s life - he can’t drag him down by being found guilty of fraud. He won’t let them use his conviction as the gateway to go after everyone who knew his secret, but especially Harvey, _Harvey_ , the one person in his life he would do literally anything to protect. Even if that means two years in prison.

When his phone beeps with an incoming message Mike is in no way prepared for what greets him.

_But I can’t fuck you if you’re in prison._

There’s even a goddamn winking emoticon in the message. Mike stares at it for a good minute, waiting for the message to make sense. Harvey’s never used an emoticon in his whole life. And the joke - because _obviously_ it’s a joke - about them fucking is so brazen and unexpected. Sure, their banter has sometimes edged the line of flirting, but this is something else entirely.

It makes Mike stop and think. He’d be lying if he said his thoughts had never strayed that way before, that he’d never once thought about Harvey when he got himself off, that he’d never wanted to push their flirtatious banter to see how far it would go. But it was always just that, idle thoughts that had no chance of ever eventuating.

But maybe they did.

And the thing is, now that he’s genuinely thinking about it, allowing himself to ruminate in the idea of him and Harvey, Mike can see how good it could be. How good _they_ could be. They fit together, have since the first moment they met, and Mike genuinely could not picture his life without Harvey in it. The idea revolted, and it makes him doubt his choice, makes him wonder if taking the deal really is the best option. Because it means two years away from Harvey with nothing but the occasional weekend visit to sustain him, and can he really get through those two years knowing it was his decision, that it was his choice to take the deal when he could’ve been acquitted and would never have been parted from Harvey’s side?

Mike’s phone beeps with another message from Harvey.

_I know you’re scared Mike. But I’m asking you to have faith, in me, in us. When we put our minds to something there’s nothing we can’t do. Think about it, think about all that we’ve accomplished together over the last three years. The jury is on your side, I know it. You can survive this. Please, Mike, I’m begging you. Don’t do it._

He stares at the message for the final three blocks, until the car pulls up outside the building, and Mike can’t do it. He might regret it, might end up with seven years away from this life, but if that happens he’ll be able to live with knowing he did everything he could to stop it. That he didn’t waver in his faith. That they did everything they could to keep Mike free.

So when the driver tells him the cost of the fare Mike just says, “Actually, can you take me back?”

*

_Not guilty._

The words ring in Mike’s ears over and over and yet he still can’t believe it. He can feel Harvey’s hand squeezing his shoulder, and he turns with wide eyes to see Harvey, grinning wider than Mike has ever seen. Mike doesn’t even think, just throws his arms around Harvey and hugs him tight.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“You and me against the world,” Harvey replies softly. “Always.”

Mike pulls back, smiling, and then they’re engulfed by Louis and Jessica and Rachel and Donna, all of them jubilant with relief. Hugs and congratulations are freely given and they leave together en masse, triumphant.

“Let’s go celebrate,” Harvey declares once they are outside the building. “Drinks on Jessica.”

Jessica looks annoyed for about two seconds before her expression softens. “Just this once.”

So they find a bar that everyone deems acceptable. Mike, nowhere near as pretentious and picky as the rest of the group under the best of circumstances, would’ve just gone to the nearest bar but oh no, they had to find somewhere worthy of their attendance. He doesn’t really mind. He’s on a high like none he’s ever felt, and every one of these people risked more than he could say for him, so he’ll follow them anywhere.

He remembers the first drink, the six of them crowded into a corner booth, laughing and drinking without a care in the world. He remembers the second drink, Jessica and Donna telling stories of Harvey’s first few years at the firm, Louis throwing in random comments while he and Rachel laughed their heads off. He remembers the third drink, he and Harvey quiet together after Rachel and Donna had headed out to the dance floor together and Louis and Jessica had gamely followed. He remembers the fourth drink, Mike telling Harvey how happy he is that they met that day, that it was the only thing in his life he’s ever done right and he’s glad, he’s so glad that out of everything he’s fucked up in his life that meeting Harvey wasn’t one of them.

He doesn’t remember much after that.

*

Mike wakes up on Harvey’s couch with the worst headache known to mankind.

He grumbles at the pain caused by opening his eyes into the blinding light, but his own voice is loud in his ears and that makes everything worse. He sits up slowly, carefully, looking around. This isn’t his apartment, but he knows it just as well as his own. He gingerly stands from Harvey’s couch and pads over to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with tap water before gulping the whole thing in one go.

He remembers then. They made it. He’s free.

He smiles, but the action hurts his face and his head is still pounding, and since there is no indication that Harvey is awake Mike heads back to the couch, making himself comfortable under the thick blanket.

He’s asleep again within minutes.

*

When Mike wakes the second time it’s to the smell of delicious food. Mike can’t tell if he wants to eat it or throw up.

Maybe both.

“I’d recommend a shower,” Harvey says, and Mike looks over, sees Harvey standing in the kitchen in a plain white t shirt and grey pajama pants. He’s doing something at the stove-top but Mike doesn’t have the mental capacity to figure out what. “You’ll feel better afterwards. Promise.”

Mike grunts and stands, heading to the bathroom. “I’m stealing some clothes,” he throws over his shoulder as he passes, and all he gets in return is a low chuckle. It’s not a denial, so Mike heads to Harvey’s walk in and rustles around in his drawers until he can find something to wear, taking it with him into the bathroom.

Harvey’s shower is a miracle worker and Mike never wants to leave. Seriously, who manages to have water pressure this perfect? His sore body eases under the warm spray, and when he’s done he feels almost human again.

When Mike emerges back into the lounge Harvey is still working away in the kitchen, so Mike heads over to join him. When Harvey looks up at him he laughs. Mike’s slightly taken aback for a moment until he follows Harvey’s gaze down to his chest. He looks back up at Harvey, smiling now.

“Well, since they couldn’t prove it’s not true, that kinda makes it real, right?” Mike says, laughing.

Harvey chuckles, hand reaching out to touch the HARVARD that’s emblazoned on Mike’s chest. “Guess so,” he says softly, before dropping his hand and going back to his task.

“Smells delicious,” Mike says, eyeing the egg and bacon sandwiches. “I need coffee though.”

“Juice first,” Harvey says, and when Mike whines petulantly Harvey says, “One glass, then you can have as much coffee as you want.”

“Fine,” Mike grumbles, but goes to the fridge and pulls out some OJ, pouring a glass each for himself and Harvey. They eat breakfast together standing at the kitchen counter.

“So, you’re free,” Harvey says.

“I’m free,” Mike returns, smiling.

“We’ll need to start damage control.”

Mike groans. “It’s too soon to think about that. Can’t we at least spend the weekend celebrating before we worry about fixing our reputations?”

“Fine,” Harvey says, but it wasn’t a hard won argument so he doesn’t even pretend like he’s annoyed by the suggestion. “So I guess it’s also too soon to point out that I was right about you not taking that deal.”

“Yes,” Mike agrees with a smile. “Too soon.”

*

Mike knows he should go home, but he wasn’t lying before. He wants to spend the weekend celebrating, and who better to do that with than Harvey, even if celebrating consists of them marathoning movies and eating bad food all day.

All that awaits him outside these walls is an empty apartment which for some reason has never really felt like home.

The last movie ends at nearly midnight and Mike doesn’t want to go but he doesn’t want to impose either. But then Harvey says, “You staying?” in a way that is equal parts question and statement and Mike lets out a breath of relief.

“Yeah. If you don’t mind.”

“ _Mike_.” Harvey says his name in a way Mike has never heard before, like it _means_ something, as though he’s trying to put a dozen different thoughts and feelings into four simple letters. Mike wants to know everything, is desperate to discern all the hidden meanings, but when Mike lets his hand fall between them so it’s pressing against Harvey’s thigh Harvey lets out a breath, looking away. “I should go to bed,” he says, standing. “Good night.”

“Night,” Mike echoes blankly.

*

When Mike wakes on Sunday morning he feels like himself again. The last few days - hell, the last few _weeks_ \- they’ve been a daze. It’s like finally being able to breathe after too long underwater, and he doesn’t know what his life holds now. But the one thing he does know is that he doesn’t want to waste any more time. It’s a commodity too precious to take for granted, and Mike’s _done_.

Even though he knows this could end badly he also knows he has to try, that he needs to know if this is something he can have.

So Mike moves across the apartment and walks into Harvey’s bedroom.

Harvey blinks up at him, awake but sleepy soft in the rumpled sheets. Mike knows that for this to work he has to appear confident, to let Harvey know that he wants this, so he doesn’t hesitate, crossing the room and sitting on the edge of Harvey’s bed and looking straight at Harvey when he says, “So are you going to fuck me now?”

Harvey just blinks at him, slowly sitting up. “It was a joke,” he says carefully.

Mike can’t tell for certain, but he’s pretty sure Harvey’s lying. Or at the very least hedging his bets.

But Mike needs to be sure. If Harvey doesn’t want this, or if he’s too scared to admit that he does, or too anxious over what it could do to their relationship, then fine. He won’t push. But truthfully Mike knows that Harvey is the only person he’s ever met that he can see himself going all in with. And yes, that’s utterly terrifying, but it’s also exhilarating and he just hopes that Harvey feels the same.

“Was it?” Mike asks. “Because if so that’s fine but if not…”

“If not what?” Harvey asks, and the intent with which he asks can’t help but give Mike hope.

Mike is done with words. For all that both he and Harvey are brilliant at words, he also knows that when it comes to this they could well spend forever talking in circles around it and not actually get anywhere. So Mike leans forward and kisses Harvey.

It’s just a simple kiss, two mouths pressing together, lingering slightly before Mike pulls back. But it’s enough. It’s enough that when Mike opens his eyes he can see Harvey smiling softly at him. It’s enough that this time it’s Harvey that closes the gap between them, his hand sliding around the back of Mike’s neck to keep him in place. It’s enough to make them both smile against each other’s lips as they kiss and Harvey drags Mike down onto the bed with him.

Mike’s brain sometimes feels more machine than human, the way it’s always processing and calculating and storing. But this, the way their mouths move against each other, the taste of Harvey’s tongue on his own, the way Harvey’s hands feel on his skin as he strips the clothes from his body, there is nothing mechanical about the way his brain is preserving this moment. It’s visceral and desperate, and Mike knows that even without his eidetic memory nothing could make him forget the way that Harvey’s stomach flutters under his touch or the way that Harvey says his name or the way it feels when Harvey finally presses inside him.

Mike can’t stop moving, can’t stop touching, his hands sliding over damp skin as he arches beneath Harvey. He wants this to last, because they’ll never get another first time and they waited long enough for this one, but Harvey feels so good and he can’t help but think that no one in the world has ever earned this moment more than they have and they deserve to have it as quickly as possible. Kissing is difficult with their bodies moving in perfect counterpoint but Mike makes a valiant effort, and though they are both breathless and desperate it actually helps orientate them, keeps them here in the moment and not overwhelmed by the scale of the shifting fragments of their relationship.

When Harvey slides his mouth down Mike’s neck Mike spills nonsense into the room, rambles about how amazing Harvey feels, about how much he wants this, and he begs Harvey to never stop. And he doesn’t. Harvey keeps moving and moving until neither can hold out any longer, the pleasure unlike anything Mike has ever known.

He clings to Harvey afterwards, hot and breathless and utterly ruined. Harvey doesn’t object, in fact he returns the gesture in kind, slipping out but then pressing their bodies even closer, as though he’s scared Mike will just up and leave if he moves away.

As if Mike ever could.

*

“So will you admit it now?” Mike asks.

They’ve been lying in bed for hours, talking intermittently, always touching, more often than not kissing. Mike isn’t exactly surprised by how comfortable and normal it feels, more relieved than anything. He knew they could be great together. It’s always nice to be right.

“Admit what?” Harvey asks with an innocent voice, but his smirk is too knowing for it to be believed.

“That you weren’t joking when you sent me that text.”

“I _was_ joking when I sent that text.” At Mike’s incredulous laughter Harvey added, “Fine, would you believe I was seventy percent joking and thirty percent serious?” Harvey asks. Mike, of course, shakes his head. “Okay, to be honest the only thing I was thinking about was doing anything to stop you from taking that deal, even if it meant blindsiding you with my feelings in a way I could later deny, because I had no idea how you felt and I needed an out. So, yes, I wasn’t really joking. I wanted you here, and I still do. I always will.”

“ _Always_? Are you proposing marriage to me?” Mike asks, laughing.

But then Harvey doesn’t join in, and holy shit, it doesn’t take a genius to realize why. Mike is so surprised he can’t react, and then his lack of reaction causes Harvey to shrink away from him, but Mike’s not having that, not now and not ever. He shifts over so their chests are pressed together and he kisses Harvey, long and lingering and full of love.

“From the day we met I’ve never wanted to be anywhere but by your side. That’s never going to change.”

“So is that a yes?”

“It might be, had you actually asked me a question,” Mike says, chuckling. Harvey smiles up at him, but when he opens his mouth to speak Mike silences him with a kiss. “Don’t ask me, not now. Surprise me with it another day. Just know that when you do ask me, whether it’s first thing tomorrow or in five years time, the answer will be yes.”

“I’m not waiting five years.”

“Good,” Mike grins, and kisses him again. “Because after everything we’ve been through why wait? If you don’t ask me within the month I’ll probably end up asking you.”

Harvey grins. “Deal.”


	120. coming home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for idle-reverie who won a fic as part of my 2000 tumblr followers giveaway. They wanted a fic about Harvey picking Mike up from jail.

Harvey would like to say he woke with the rising sun, that he went about his routine like normal, showering and dressing and eating breakfast while he read the paper, before walking out the front door.

It would be a lie.

He finally gives up on sleep at about 3am, too nervous and excited to be able to succumb to slumber. So he pads across the apartment to the lounge and watches movies in his dark apartment until long after sunrise. He doesn’t eat breakfast. His shower, which he normally likes to luxuriate in on the weekends, is perfunctory at best. And then he runs the necessary errands, including doing a quick clean of the apartment and going to Fairway for a grocery run, making sure to buy that sugary crap he normally wouldn’t let within ten feet of his apartment.

All morning his body thrums with a weird combination of anxiety and anticipation. He can’t think clearly. Because it’s been two long years and today, finally, Mike is coming home.

He leaves just after lunch, making the long drive to Danbury. There wasn’t even a question of Harvey not going. He’s probably going to arrive an hour early, but better that than arriving even one minute late.

The ninety minute drive is easy and when he pulls up to the prison - with fifty minutes to spare - he waits inside the car, thumb tapping on the steering wheel. But he’s too jittery, the car too confining, so he climbs out and instead presses against the hood of the car, waiting.

The symmetry is obvious, and it’s been two years of a Mike shaped hole in his life and yet there is a part of Harvey’s brain that still can’t reconcile what happened. Harvey wasn’t one to moan about the imbalances of life, and as much as he doesn’t want to think about it in a way some kind of justice was served because Mike really did commit the crime he was punished for, and yet Harvey just couldn’t get over the idea that it _wasn’t right_. That Mike, despite the fraud, made much more of a positive difference than a negative one, and being punished for that was unfair.

It’s been ten months since he was here last. Harvey visited every week in the beginning, but after a year Mike started refusing to see him. It hurt, and Harvey fought it for weeks on end, but Mike never budged. Harvey worried about him, even more than he’d been worrying before. He could guess where Mike’s refusal had come from: Robert Zane had unexpectedly passed away, and in her grief Rachel had broken up with Mike and moved with her mother to the west coast where the rest of their family lived. Mike was heartbroken, and alone, in one of the worst environments in the world, so he cut everyone off.

So in the absence of being able to provide comfort and friendship directly Harvey did all he could from the outside. He wrote Mike letters (Mike never responded). He made sure he always had money to buy whatever he wanted from the commissary. He incentivized (okay, bribed) guards to look out for him, make sure no one was giving him a rough time. They might’ve been small gestures but it was all he had.

Harvey wouldn’t have even known about Mike’s release had it not been for one of those guards. When he found out Harvey broke out into a grin so wide it hurt his face, too unused as it was to smiling these last couple of years. Mike was coming home. He’d tried calling again, but was unsurprised when Mike didn’t take the call.

So now he waits, not knowing if Mike even knows that Harvey has come to meet him.

As much as he tries he can’t stand still, and ends up pacing, his thousand dollar shoes getting covered in dust from the gravel in the car park. It must be a quiet day; there’s only one other party waiting, a woman with a young son who holds his mother’s hand tightly as he bounces with excitement. Harvey gets to watch their reunion while he waits, a man probably even younger than Mike emerging in a rush and hugging his family, laughing and crying all at once.

In truth it just makes him more nervous about his reunion with Mike.

He watches the reunited family drive off, the woman giving him an understanding smile as she goes. He glances at his watch - should be any minute now - and resumes his pacing. Every second that passes feels like a minute and he wants to explode, to scream, to do anything to release the tension overtaking his body.

And then, finally, footsteps. Harvey looks up to see Mike walking towards him. Mike looks pale, thin, his clothes hanging limply off his frame. His hair has been cropped short. He’s looking around him, expression full of wonder, and when he spots Harvey he literally stops in his tracks. They just stand there for a moment, drinking each other in, and then Mike lets out a light laugh. Harvey smiles, and when Mike resumes walking he can’t help but take a few steps forward, to lessen the distance between them as quickly as he can.

Mike stops just a few steps away. “Figures,” Mike says, and Harvey has a split second to panic before Mike smiles, closing the gap between them and throwing his arms around him.

Harvey doesn’t hesitate, pressing his hands into Mike’s back, reveling in the feeling of Mike, real and present beneath his fingertips. He can’t believe this is finally happening. Mike’s out. He’s free, and Harvey promises himself then and there that he’ll never let anything bad happen to Mike again. Heads will roll before he lets anyone take Mike away again.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Mike murmurs into Harvey’s shoulder.

“Where else was I going to be?” Harvey replies.

Mike pulls back then. He can’t seem to look Harvey in the eye. “I didn’t expect you to show. I knew you’d know I was being released today, but after how I treated you…”

“Mike, we don’t have to do this right now,” Harvey says gently.

“No, no we do. I shut you out, Harvey. You’re the one person who has always been there for me, no matter what, and I shut you out. I didn’t think I deserved to pick up where we left off, even if I wanted to. And I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for ignoring you.”

“Mike, it’s okay.” Harvey reaches over and squeezes his arm. “Don’t worry about it. It’s in the past now. All that matters is that you’re free. Let’s just focus on that for now.”

Mike’s face slowly brightens, the joy at his release obvious. “Okay.”

“So where to first?” Harvey asks. He knows Mike will have spent two years looking forward to this day. He surely has thoughts about what he wants to do.

Mike chuckles. “I’m dying for a good burger and fries.”

Harvey laughs at that. “Done. Come on, let’s go.”

The drive back to the city is quiet, but Harvey doesn’t move to break the silence. If Mike wants to talk he will, but Harvey figures he could probably use this time to process everything. When they get back to New York they leave the car in Harvey’s underground garage and walk the few blocks to Shake Shack, getting their order to go. Harvey considers leading Mike back to his apartment, but seeing Mike standing there on the street corner, eyes wide as he looks at the city moving around him, he figures Mike might appreciate some open space. So they walk to Central Park. They find a picturesque spot, quiet and empty, and settle themselves on the bench.

Mike makes a frankly obscene noise when he bites into the burger.

“Would you two like to be alone?” he teases.

“Two years,” Mike says, mouth full of food. “It’s been two years, don’t even joke about that, it could give me ideas.”

Harvey laughs. It’s such a stupid thing, but to know that they can still banter about inappropriate things eases his mind somewhat. Whatever the last two years have done to him, the old Mike is still in there.

Mike asks what’s been happening while he was away, but Harvey doesn’t think he really needs to know. It’s been a tough couple of years, trying to rebuild Pearson Specter Litt after the mass exodus. It was awful, not least of all because every day was an acute reminder of Mike’s absence, of how badly Harvey had failed him.

But really, that was nothing compared to what Mike went through.

So between bites of his burger Harvey tells Mike about the cases he’s been working (there were some loyal clients who stayed despite the controversy, and Harvey had been pleasantly surprised by how many clients who had Mike work on their cases stuck around), the relationship drama Donna is having with her _paramour du jour_ (Donna’s words, not his), Louis’ latest attempt to get him to go mudding.

Mike laughs. “Mudding sounds pretty fucking awesome right now if I’m honest. How stupid is that?”

“Not stupid at all,” Harvey assures him, and he smiles imagining Louis’ reaction to Mike going with him. “You should go with Louis if you really want. He’d love it.”

Mike nods absently. “Maybe.”

Once they’re done eating they go for a walk. It doesn’t last too long though, daylight wasting before their eyes.

Harvey turns to Mike and asks, “You ready to go home?”

Mike scoffs. “I don’t have a home.”

Harvey stares at him for a moment, uncomprehending. Of course Mike has a home. Just because Mike sold the apartment he shared with Rachel - Mike had given Harvey power of attorney before he went in, and on his last visit to the prison Mike had asked Harvey to sell it for him - that didn’t mean he didn’t have a home to go to. Surely he knew that?

“Come on,” Harvey says instead, heading in the direction of his apartment building.

The streets are crowded, but instead of shrinking away like Harvey feared Mike seems to revel in it. Maybe it’s part of being in a big city instead of a confined space. Maybe it’s seeing different faces than the same ones he saw for days on end. Or maybe it’s just being home, being back in the city he loved, hectic and chaotic as that may be.

When they enter the building Harvey greets the doorman in passing. Matthew’s only been working here for six months, so Harvey can see him casting a curious glance in Mike’s direction, but Mike just smiles genially at him. Harvey will introduce them another time.

Harvey leads Mike into the apartment. He throws his keys on the counter as he passes and then turns back to face Mike, saying, “Welcome home.”

Mike’s face is wide with surprise as he looks around. Harvey redecorated over a year ago, and the apartment looks completely different. Though there was a time he’d loved the designer aesthetic of his apartment he found he’d reached a point where all it made him feel was cold and detached. There was no personality, no life in his apartment, and with everything else that was going on he couldn’t stand coming home and not feeling comfortable within his own four walls. So he repainted, changed the flooring, got rid of every piece of furniture he owned. He filled the space mostly with new furniture, but he also added in a couple of pieces from Mike’s apartment. He didn’t think Mike would mind, and he hoped it would make him feel like this was his home too.

“What brought all this on?” Mike asks as he steps deeper into the apartment. He runs his fingertips along the back of a sofa, takes a closer look at the shelves along the wall, wanders around the space taking it all in.

Harvey shrugs. “Just needed a change. Wanted something a bit more…”

“Comfortable?” Mike supplies.

The words _warm_ and _home_ bounce around in his mind. “Something like that.”

Mike nods, continuing his perusal of the space. “I like it.”

Harvey smiles at him. “I’m glad. Come on, there’s something else I wanna show you.”

They head down the hallway, and Harvey opens the first door to the right. It’s a bedroom. Mike glances at him uncertainly, and Harvey just smiles, waving his hand in an _after you_ gesture. Mike walks inside. It’s a well-proportioned room, not overly large, a bed against the far wall and a dresser in dark wood to their left. But it’s when Mike spots what’s above the dresser that he realizes.

Grammy’s Chinese panda picture.

It’s Mike’s room.

“ _Harvey_ ,” Mike says, stepping closer and touching the picture. “You did this for me?”

Harvey nods at him. Mike opens the drawers to find it full of his clothes. When he closes it he moves to the bed, collapsing on the foot of it, his head in his hands. Harvey sits beside him, placing a comforting hand on his back.

“Sorry,” he says, sniffling. “I’m just … guess I’m a bit overwhelmed with … you know, everything.”

“It’s okay, Mike.”

“I can’t believe you did this for me.”

Harvey lets out a long breath. “After everything that happened it was the least I could do. I know you, and I knew that no matter how happy you were to be getting out your mind would also be going a million miles an hour about what happens afterwards: where you’d go, what you’d do, how you’d get your life back. And I’m sorry, but as much as I wish it was otherwise I don’t have the answers to most of those questions. The best I could do was give you somewhere to come home to and promise that no matter what, I would do whatever I could to help you. So this is your home, for as long as you want or need it. And I swear to you, whatever you need, if it’s in my power to give it to you then it’s yours.”

Mike throws his arms around Harvey, hugging him tightly. “You’ve given me everything I need,” he says, and then buries his face into Harvey’s neck. “I’m home.”

Harvey smiles.

Mike’s home.


	121. not the most diplomatic approach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for purplepassionsparks who won a fic as part of my 2000 tumblr followers giveaway. Their prompts were: Harvey and Mike are both lawyers but strangers, or one saving the other from being hit on in a bar.

Mike loves his best friend. He does. He loves Jenny and treasures her as a person and the world would be much worse off without her.

Mike chants the words in his head like a mantra as he enters hour two of the godawful date that Jenny has set him up on.

There’s nothing ostensibly wrong with Eliza. It isn’t like she’s a bigot or treats the staff badly or has any of those cliché traits one sees in romantic comedies where the lead character goes through a series of bad dates until they stumble upon The One. Eliza is pleasant, and pretty, and Mike can see why she and Jenny are friends. But it’s not enough. She smiles at him and it feels obvious. He asks her a question and she gives a one sentence reply. It’s all surface, and Mike needs more. He needs to be engaged, challenged, surprised. Even for a first date this feels overly superficial. How is he supposed to know if he wants to see Eliza again if he barely knows anything about her?

Truth be told it’s been a long week and he’d honestly rather tap out and head home than spend his third consecutive Friday on a bad date his best friend has set up. But he loves Jenny, and her determination to find someone for him is heart-warming, if a little hopeless. The previous two set ups were just as bad, and as he takes a sip of his drink, nodding absently along to Eliza’s comment about the light fixtures in the bar, he promises himself that he’ll tell Jenny no more. Jenny will probably come back with some comment about how he’ll never find someone working eighty hours a week, and that he deserves to be as happy as she and Alex are, and then she’ll mention she knows this great girl or guy that she really thinks Mike will like and he’ll agree, because he loves and treasures Jenny and can’t say no to her.

“Would you like another drink?” Mike asks. If he’s going to get through this for another couple of hours he’ll need a second drink.

Eliza smiles. “That’d be great.” She slides off the bar stool, says, “I’ll be back in a minute. Just going to go powder my nose.”

Mike nods, thinking that even if he had been interested that right there would’ve been a deal breaker. _Powder my nose_. Who even says that anymore? They don’t live in the nineteenth century for fucks sake.

Mike catches the attention of the bartender and orders them more drinks - a beer for him and a cosmopolitan for Eliza - and is absently tapping his fingers on the bar when a voice says, “Let me guess, blind date?”

Mike turns to his left and when he sees who has spoken to him Mike loses all words. Because _Harvey Specter_ is sitting beside him, smiling warmly at Mike.

Mike knows who Harvey is of course. Even before he started working at Pearson Hardman a year ago he’d heard of Harvey. He was infamous at Harvard, his name whispered about its corridors to the point of mythology. Harvey once made the Mergers & Acquisitions lecturer cry. Harvey once won a mock trial by making his closing argument entirely out of quotes from Mississippi Burning. Harvey once finished an exam in record time and got a perfect score. Mike wasn’t sure if even half the things he heard about Harvey were true (he was pretty sure the story about Harvey streaking across the quad on a dare from a _teacher_ was bullshit) but the fact that all these stories were about someone the professors still spoke highly of intrigued Mike. When he left Harvard and was applying at law firms all over the city Mike didn’t want to work for Pearson Hardman because of Harvey - he actually applied because of Jessica - but he couldn’t deny that over the year he’d hoped he’d get the chance to work with Harvey on a case. It hasn’t happened so far. And yet here Harvey is, sitting beside Mike and turning that powerful gaze on him.

“Yeah,” Mike replies, smiling. “How’d you know?”

Harvey chuckles. “I’m pretty good at reading people. You look like you’d rather be anywhere else in the world and yet you’re staying. So someone you care about set you two up. Let me guess - sister?”

“Best friend.”

“Did you do something to piss them off?”

“Not that I know of,” Mike says, grimacing.

“Well, maybe you should be nicer to them. Just in case.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know I’m an awesome friend, thank you very much. I helped her move into her fourth floor walk up without complaining once.”

Harvey chuckles. “You are clearly a prince among men.”

“Damn right,” Mike grins.

The barman places a tumbler of scotch on the bar in front of Harvey. Mike didn’t even see him order one.

“Well … what’s your name?” Harvey asks.

Mike smiles. “Mike.”

“Well, Mike, I better make myself scarce before she comes back.”

“She’s _powdering her nose,_ ” Mike says disdainfully.

Harvey rolls his eyes. “I can see why you aren’t interested.” He stands from the bar stool, but doesn’t move away. “Tell you what. I’ll be over there,” he says, pointing over Mike’s shoulder to the corner of the bar. “If you want an out, give me a signal.”

“Like a bird call? Oooh, maybe a smoke signal?” Mike grins.

Harvey chuckles warmly. “Just touch a finger to your temple or something. I’ll come save you.”

Mike nods, and he swivels on the bar stool to watch as Harvey walks away, but he only gets a few steps before Mike calls, “How exactly are you gonna save me?”

Harvey glances at him with a smile more devilish than any Mike has ever seen. “Oh I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

Mike is still smiling at Harvey’s retreating form when Eliza comes back. “Sorry about that,” she says, sliding gracefully onto the bar stool. “They have the most amazing mosaic in the ladies room…”

Mike smiles and nods and no matter how long they talk or what topics they discuss Mike can’t help but let his eyes wander towards Harvey. He’s exactly where he said he’d be, and it just takes a quick glance over Eliza’s shoulder to see him, sipping at his scotch and keeping an idle eye on Mike and Eliza. Sometimes their gazes will meet, and Harvey will smile, or raise his eyebrow, and Mike has to forcibly move his attention back to Eliza.

He does try, because he loves Jenny and thinks there has to be some reason she set them up, but half an hour later as Eliza is telling Mike a story about her work friends and their quest to find the best doughnut within a five block radius Mike gives in, touching his temple in such a way it looks like he’s just scratching an itch. He looks over to Harvey, to find that he’s already on his feet, heading in Mike’s direction.

Mike can’t help the thrill of anticipation as Harvey approaches, wondering what Harvey will do. He’ll probably claim to be an old friend. Maybe he’ll even pretend they work together and there’s an emergency that can’t wait. What Mike doesn’t expect is for Harvey to stride right up to him, silent but with purpose, not stopping until he can take Mike’s face in his hands and kiss him. It would not be an understatement to say that Mike is shocked by Harvey’s choice, but that doesn’t stop him from responding. He kisses Harvey back, moving their mouths together easily, and when Harvey moves to pull away Mike doesn’t let him, gripping on his suit jacket to pull him closer. Harvey comes easily, and Mike deepens the kiss, unable to stop the soft moan at the touch of Harvey’s tongue.

When they finally break apart Mike gazes up at Harvey through hooded eyes and with what he’s sure is a dazed expression. Harvey’s lips twitch slightly, like he’s trying to stop himself from smiling, but Mike has no such compunction, grinning stupidly at him. And then Mike hears a cough, and the fog instantly clears.

He turns to face Eliza, who is glaring at him. She picks up her drink and throws it in his face, the pink liquid dripping down his face and onto his white shirt. “Fuck you, Mike Ross,” she grits out, before grabbing her bag and leaving.

Mike looks back to Harvey, and they both crack up laughing.

“You couldn’t have thought of a more diplomatic way to save me?” Mike asks, grabbing a napkin from the bar and wiping his face.

“I never promised to be diplomatic,” Harvey points out. “I just promised to save you from a bad date. And I did. The fact that I did it in a way I’ve been thinking about ever since I walked in here and saw you is completely coincidental.”

“Oh really?” Mike asks with a raised eyebrow.

Harvey nods, gaze locked on Mike. And then he shifts forward, slowly, as though he’s worried Mike will want to stop him, that now Mike knows what’s coming he won’t be interested. Which is fucking ridiculous and yet completely adorable, and this is not how Mike pictured his evening going - nor his first meeting with the venerable Harvey Specter for that matter - but there isn’t a force on this earth that could stop him from meeting Harvey halfway.

The kiss is sweet and sticky from the spilled alcohol but that somehow just makes it better. Mike can’t believe how kissing this total stranger - because really, that’s what Harvey is - makes him feel. It shouldn’t be this good, shouldn’t feel this right, and yet Mike can’t remember ever feeling so much before from the simple act of kissing someone.

But then Harvey pulls away abruptly, looking at Mike strangely. “Wait, did she say Mike _Ross_?”

“Yes.”

“ _You’re_ Mike Ross?”

He says Mike’s name like it means something. Like it’s the answer to a question that has plagued him his whole life. The air between them shifts and Mike is suddenly nervous.

“Yes?” Mike replies, tentative, because obviously he’s Mike Ross but he might not be the only one and he doesn’t want to raise Harvey’s hopes or expectations if he’s really thinking about someone else.

Harvey looks at him for a moment before laughing. Mike has no idea what’s going on, but he’s relieved it doesn’t seem to be bad. Harvey reaches over and touches Mike, runs his fingers along his jawline, brushes his thumb along Mike’s lower lip. Mike feels like he can’t breathe.

Harvey drops his hand and says, “We work at the same law firm.”

Mike nods slowly. “I know,” he admits. “I know who you are, Harvey.”

“And I know who you are. The other senior partners talk about you, about how good your work is. There are rumors flying already that you could go from Rookie Associate to Junior Partner in record time. I’ve been meaning to introduce myself.”

Mike can’t help but laugh. “Well you certainly did that.”

“Probably better we met here,” Harvey says, smiling. “If we’d met in the office I’m not sure the outcome would’ve been any different, and that would’ve caused a whole lot of problems.”

Mike can feel himself flushing. He glances away, takes a deep breath, then looks back at Harvey, holding out his hand. “Mike Ross.”

Harvey grins at him, reaching out to shake his hand. “Harvey Specter.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Harvey,” Mike says, and even though they’ve stopped shaking hands neither lets go, fingers tangling together. “And I wouldn’t mind getting to know you _a lot_ better.”

“Are you hitting on me?” Harvey asks, smirking.

“Pretty sure you hit on me first with that kiss,” Mike points out, grinning. “But yeah, I am. Unless…?”

Mike’s sudden uncertainty must show, and Harvey relieves him in the best possible way, closing the distance between them and kissing Mike again. Mike smiles against his lips, and they are still pressed face to face when Harvey whispers, “My apartment’s not far. We really should get you out of those wet clothes.”

Mike makes a noise of agreement, kissing Harvey again. Then he shifts his head slightly to whisper in Harvey’s ear, “I don’t even care that that was the most cliché pickup line I’ve ever heard. It’s totally working for me.”

Harvey pulls back to look at Mike, grinning. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go.”

Mike puts some notes on the counter and grabs his jacket, following Harvey out of the bar. Harvey’s apartment is only a few blocks, and they chat idly as they walk. When they get to his building and Harvey ushers them to his private glass elevator Mike lets out an impressed whistle.

“So,” Mike asks as Harvey presses the code into the elevator panel, “did you really streak across campus at Harvard?”

“I plead the fifth,” Harvey says, grinning.

“Which we all know means yes. Man, that’s amazing. I wish I could’ve been there to see it.”

Harvey strides across the small space, bracketing Mike in with his arms pressed either side of Mike’s body. He presses his mouth to the side of Mike’s neck, kissing up the pale column. “Well maybe I’ll re-enact it for you later.”

Mike reaches out and starts undoing the buttons on Harvey’s shirt. “I look forward to it.”


	122. Chapter 122

Harvey kisses Mike for the first time outside of Danbury prison, just moments before Mike walks through the gate to begin his two year sentence.

It’s a simple pressing of lips, and when he pulls back Mike grips the front of Harvey’s suit and says, “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” with a laugh that turns into a sob.

“Promise me we’ll do whatever it takes to get you out of there. No matter what,” Harvey says desperately.

“I promise.”

“And look after yourself in there.”

“I will.”

Harvey looks so determined when he says, “I’m gonna get you out, Mike.”

Mike smiles softly. “I know you will.”

Mike kisses Harvey, and then he turns and walks into the prison without looking back.

*

Drugging Mike is not Harvey’s finest hour. He can admit that. But desperation makes a man do crazy things, and he needs Mike out of that prison, out of that headspace. He needs to remind MIke what is waiting for him on the outside, and so he takes Mike back to his apartment.

Mike’s mouth is on his the moment the door closes behind them, and they don’t even make it to the bedroom. A trail of clothes lead to the sofa and they waste no time, Mike letting out a soft sigh when he’s fully seated in Harvey’s lap.

“I know why you got me out,” Mike says, as he starts moving, pulling a moan from Harvey’s throat.

Harvey doesn’t deny it. “Is it working?”

Mike leans down and kisses him, their bodies moving with an increasing pace, until all Mike can do is breathe into Harvey’s open mouth, “I hate you.”

Harvey laughs. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

*

It feels like old times, and if it wasn’t for the stubble on Mike’s jaw and the denim prison garb Harvey could almost believe nothing has changed.

Harvey doesn’t hesitate to openly praise Mike to Sutter, and he can’t wait to get this prick, not only because he’s an asshole but because he so obviously doesn’t think Mike should be here. Harvey knows he won’t feel that way for long.

So Harvey and Mike do what they do best, and soon enough Kevin and Sutter are at each other’s throats. Kevin storms out and Harvey can’t help the quick wink he gives Mike before Mike stands and follows Kevin out.

*

“I can’t do it.”

Harvey swears his heart stops beating. “What are you talking about?”

“I can’t do it. I can’t convince Kevin to testify.”

If it wasn’t past visiting hours Harvey would be in the car on his way to Danbury by now. He suspects Mike waited until now to call him for this very reason.

“Why not?” Harvey grits out.

There’s a pause that feels all too loaded. “Would you ever turn on me, even if I’d done something wrong?”

“Of course not.”

“Exactly. And that’s why Kevin will never testify against Sutter.”

“Mike, what are you talking about?”

He can hear Mike sigh, and then he says, “I’m sorry, Harvey,” before hanging up.

*

Mike doesn’t look happy to see him, and to be honest the feeling is almost mutual. Because they are so fucking close and for some reason Mike can’t get this one last thing done, this one final step in order to get out of here early.

“Talk,” Harvey orders.

Mike sighs, sits down at the table opposite him. “I gave my word I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Mike, may I remind you that you gave _me_ your word that we would do whatever it took to get you out of here. So please, I’m begging you, tell me what’s going on.”

Mike hesitates, but only for a moment. “Kevin’s wife is in on it. If we take down Sutter then Kevin’s wife will be implicated. He’ll never do that.”

“Goddamn it,” Harvey swears, standing from the table and taking a few steps away. Unfortunately the room is so small he can’t pace his frustrations away like he so desperately wants to.

After a few minutes of internal fuming Harvey gathers himself together and sits back down at the table. “Okay, that’s okay, we can figure out a way around this.”

Mike makes a noise that is equal parts amusement and disbelief. “Still not giving up?”

Harvey looks him square in the eyes. “Never.”

*

“Don’t you wanna get out of here?” Mike asks, exasperated.

Kevin just glares at him in return.

“So _let’s get out of here_. If I can convince you to testify against Sutter then we’ll both get out of here and back to the people we love.”

Kevin looks at him strangely. “You’ve been here for a month now and in all that time you’ve never mentioned a significant other.”

Mike looks away, uncertain if he should tell Kevin the truth. But then he figures if he wants Kevin on his side, to risk everything, then maybe the truth will help him see that they have his back.

“It’s Harvey,” Mike admits softly.

Kevin’s eyebrows furrow slightly. “Your lawyer?” When Mike nods Kevin lets out a bark of laughter. “Everything makes much more sense now. I’ve never known anyone to get so many visits from their lawyer.”

Mike can’t help but laugh at that. “Yeah.”

They fall into silence for a few moments, and the fact that Kevin hasn’t flat out refused gives Mike hope.

“We can do this, Kevin. Harvey will do whatever it takes to get this done, and that includes getting your wife immunity. Your kids will never have to be without their mom. And you can finally get home to them.”

Mike can see Kevin struggling with it, but he can’t push him anymore now. He needs to let Kevin come to this on his own.

“I bet you and Harvey were quite a team, could get anyone to agree with whatever you wanted.”

Mike’s lips quirk up slightly. “Is that a yes?”

“Get her that immunity and it’s a yes.”

*

Mike did consider calling Harvey to tell him, but rather selfishly he wants to see Harvey’s face when he hears the good news. So the next day when Harvey comes to see him Mike walks into the visiting room, smiling.

Harvey’s face slowly relaxes, becoming flushed with hope. “He’s in?”

“Get Cahill to give her immunity and he’ll do it.”

Harvey lets out a breath. “I’ll get it done.”

They stand there looking at each other for a few minutes. “This is really happening, isn’t it?” Mike asks, voice tinged with disbelief, because this feels like it could be the beginning of the end but he doesn’t want to get his hopes up either.

“It’s really happening.”

Mike breaks out into a wide grin. “You should go, get started on everything.”

Mike moves to the door, but Harvey says his name and Mike turns back, curious. Harvey opens his mouth to speak but then seemingly changes his mind, shaking his head and saying, “Nevermind. I’ll tell you later.”

Mike smiles at him then, says “I love you, too,” before walking out of the room and back to his cell.

*

Things happen with surprising speed and ease. Cahill and Harvey get the immunity deal finalized, Kevin goes on the record, Sutter is charged with insider trading, and Mike and Kevin get to walk free.

Mike watches Kevin pack up all the personal belongings he has, the likes of which Mike never brought with him. Once he’s done, Kevin opens his arms and Mike hugs him, neither of them saying a word. Mike has a smile on his face as he watches Kevin walk out of their cell.

*

Harvey knows he’s early, but he couldn’t wait patiently back in New York when the day they’d been waiting for for so long had finally arrived.

Since the moment Mike went in he’d thought about what would happen when Mike was finally released. He’d pictured Mike walking out, slow and composed, and maybe he’d even meet Mike halfway across the lot, their arms around each other in a warm embrace.

He never pictured this.

Mike runs - literally _runs_ \- down the fenced walkway, so fast that he gets to the outer gate before they can open it. Mike is grinning, banging on the wire fence like a kid, and once the gate opens he slides through as soon as he fits, running across the parking lot and into Harvey’s arms.

“You did it,” Mike says, squeezing Harvey tightly and then kissing him.

“We did it,” Harvey says when they break apart. They’re grinning at each other, so fucking happy, not thinking about what comes next, just reveling in the moment of finally being together, free.

“Come on,” Harvey says, taking his hand, “Donna organised a surprise party for you back at the office, so, pretend like you’re surprised when we arrive.”

Mike laughs. “Do we have time for a quick detour?”

“What did you have in mind?” Harvey grins.

“Take me home and I’ll show you.”

*

Harvey and Mike are an hour late to Mike’s surprise party.

No one’s surprised.


	123. indelible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based on [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/152179281810/soulmatessoulmark-fic-where-harvey-realizes-that#notes) ask, where an anon suggested a soulmate/soulmark au where notes on the back of the hand show up on the other person. I wasn’t going to actually write it, until I did.

Harvey gives so little regard to the rare - borderline mythological - occurrence of soulmate marks that when he sees a note on the back of his hand reminding him about the meeting with McGraw Hill tomorrow he just figures he must’ve written it there earlier that day without really realizing it.

He doesn’t remember that when the meeting was scheduled he and Mike were in his office so he immediately put the appointment in his email calendar, and nor does he notice that the note on his hand isn’t in his handwriting. There’s just a note on the back of his hand which he doesn’t remember putting there, but he’s a busy man, so the most logical explanation is that he wrote it but simply forgot about it.

It may be the most logical explanation. But it’s not the right one.

*

Mike walks into his office, a stack of folders in his arms that is so high Mike can rest his chin on them. Harvey tries not to grin at the comical sight, and when Mike sets them down on the coffee table - somehow keeping the tower of files intact - before he collapses on the couch, it takes everything Harvey has not to let out a laugh.

“The couch is not for lying on during business hours,” Harvey admonishes, though he doesn’t put much effort into it.

“Well then the couch shouldn’t be so comfy after I’ve been up all night going through three thousand, two hundred and eighty seven pages of documents.”

“I thought you liked going through boxes of paperwork and looking for loopholes,” Harvey teases.

“Oh yeah,” Mike mumbles sleepily, “I live for it.”

Harvey chuckles. He lets Mike have a moment of rest, because truth be told he does deserve it, and finishes up his email. By the time he’s done Mike is asleep.

Harvey glances outside the office, hoping there’s no one there to see. Donna’s there, obviously, but she winks at him and says, “Want me to keep people out?”

Harvey pretty much always wants her to keep people out of his office, but he shakes his head, because he’s not letting Mike sleep on his couch in the middle of a work day. He closes his laptop and crosses the room to the couch.

“Mike,” he says gently, gripping Mike’s shoulder. There’s no response. “Come on Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up.”

“Not Sleeping Beauty,” Mike protests, blinking his eyes open.

“Good, because there is no Prince Charming here to wake you with true love’s kiss. Now come on, let’s go put the information you found to good use. And if things go well, maybe you can call it a day”

*

If there’s one thing Harvey is good at, it’s keeping secrets. Maintaining privilege for his clients is a point of professional pride, and it never causes him a second thought.

He thought hiring Mike would be the exact same thing. That Mike’s secret was just like protecting privilege, and that he could be as distant and uncaring with Mike as he was with every other lawyer not worth his time at Pearson Hardman.

But then, turns out, Mike actually is worth his time.

And protecting Mike’s secret is no longer just a matter of course, it isn’t just something he does to protect himself and his own career. He does it because he cares about Mike’s well being and his future.

He does it because he cares about Mike. Much more than he thought he would.

*

Harvey looks up and down the busy street, then glances at his watch. He lets out a sigh. “Where is he?”

“Yeah, about that…” Mike says, and Harvey turns to Mike with a raised eyebrow. “I may or may not have texted Ray during the meeting to say that we didn’t need him anymore.”

“And why would you do that?”

“You see that restaurant down there,” Mike says, pointing down the street. Harvey has no idea which one he’s talking about, but to be fair, the block is almost entirely lined with restaurants and cafes. “You’re taking me there for dinner.”

Harvey feels like his eyebrow is going to get stuck in this position, Mike keeps surprising him so much. “Oh am I?” he asks, and despite best efforts he can’t help but be slightly amused.

Mike nods. He even grips Harvey’s elbow and starts tugging him in that direction. If for no other reason than he’s surprised (and slightly turned on, which is a feeling he’s trying to ignore a lot lately) by Mike’s boldness, he lets himself be pulled along.

“And why am I taking you to dinner at this restaurant?”

“Because I’ve always wanted to try it. And seeing as it’s my birthday I decided that for once we are going to actually stop and eat something decent instead of grabbing a bagel and coffee from the guy outside Pearson Hardman.”

There are many things Harvey could comment on. The irony of Mike “I survive on Red Bull and pizza” Ross lecturing Harvey on bad eating habits. Mike pretending like he didn’t love the bagels the coffee cart guy had. The fact that Mike wanted to spend the evening of his birthday with Harvey. But he comments on none of those things. Instead he lets Mike lead the way, and he treats Mike to the best birthday dinner he can.

Judging by the wide grin constantly plastered to Mike’s face throughout the evening, he does a pretty good job.

*

Harvey likes to think of himself as a driven person. He sets a goal and he works towards it. Some are short term, like when he wants to exceed last month’s billables, even if only to rub it in Louis’ face. Others are decades in the making, like when he first set foot in a lecture hall in Harvard and he decided that, one day, he was going to be the best lawyer in New York City.

A lot of the time, it’s not going after what he wants that’s the problem. It’s accepting that he wants it in the first place.

He can admit, if only to himself, that blowing out his shoulder and having his entire life’s plan go up in smoke affected him on a deep level. It was just one second, a movement he’d done a thousand times before but with one tiny mistake, and it changed everything. He lost some of his innocence and naiveté that day. He gave up his entire notion that something could happen just because you wanted it to, and it took several years of spiraling and a swift kick up the ass by one Ms. Jessica Pearson for him to realize.

Things don’t always go the way you want. But sometimes you don’t realize that you’re wanting the wrong thing.

*

“Did you ever try it?” Mike asks.

Harvey isn’t entirely surprised by the question. In all honestly he’s surprised it’s taken this long for him to ask. Because three days ago it was confirmed a new soulmark pairing had been found, and given that at any given moment there’s only around half a dozen confirmed cases worldwide, it’s all anyone has talked about ever since.

“No,” Harvey tells him. And it’s the truth. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in soulmate marks, because obviously they’re a real thing, it’s just that it’s so rare that he never believed that someone like him would have one.

Mike nods idly, then returns his attention back to the contract he’s proofing. Harvey really should do the same, but instead he finds himself asking, “Have you?”

“Once,” Mike admits, still looking at the paper before him. Harvey isn’t surprised that Mike has tried - Harvey with his lack of attempting to contact a potential soulmate is by far in the minority. Mike lets out a sigh and he sits back in his chair, looking at Harvey across the table. “It was about a week or so after my parents died. Grammy took me to California for - well, not a vacation exactly, more like a change of scenery. One night, I couldn’t get to sleep. I loved Grammy, but I just felt so alone. So I tried it. I grabbed a pen from the hotel room desk and wrote _are you there?_ on my hand. There was no reply. I never tried it again.”

*

For all that Harvey projects boldness and confidence, big leaps are hard. Especially when it comes to his personal life.

His parents’ marriage taught him many things, but the most important thing it showed him was that nothing lasts forever. His dad loved his mother with such ardor, and in the end she walked away without a second thought. And it _wrecked_ him.

Harvey couldn’t allow that to happen to him. So he kept things easy, casual. He refused to put himself in the position where he could get hurt to that extent, and for the most part it worked. He met various men and women, had a good time with them, and watched them leave before he got too attached, before he gave them the power to hurt him.

It was a system that worked well. Until the day he realized that, even without a kiss, without even a real touch, he’d given someone that power anyway.

*

Harvey wouldn’t ordinarily agree to meeting with a witness in the middle of Central Park, but as a matriarch of the Upper East Side set she was increasingly hard to get time with and it was this or nothing. The fact that Mike has been acting distant and listless the last couple of days and Harvey thinks he could probably use some time out of the office has nothing to do with it.

So they meet with their witness, the three of them sitting on a park bench as Michelle’s daughter plays on the playground, and Mike barely says a word the whole time. Harvey concludes their business swiftly, and when Michelle and her daughter leave Mike sits there, frozen in place.

“Are you okay?” Harvey asks.

“Do you ever sit back and think about your life,” Mike says, eyes still focused somewhere beyond the children’s playground, “and how it’s nothing like you thought it’d be?”

“Sometimes,” Harvey admits.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Mike continues, blinking a few times before turning to Harvey, eyes focused, “I’m more grateful than I can ever say for the chance you took on me, but being a fake lawyer is not where I thought I’d be by now.”

“And where did you think you’d be?”

Mike shrugs, but Harvey doesn’t buy it for a moment. No one has this conversation for no reason.

“You can tell me, Mike.”

Mike looks away, like he doesn’t have the courage to say what he’s going to say and look at Harvey at the same time. “There are so many things I thought I’d have done by now. And not even grand, life milestones, like getting married and having kids. Stupid, little things that are of absolute no consequence.”

“Like what?” Harvey prompts.

“I’ve never gone ice skating. I’ve never travelled to another country. I’ve never been to the Thanksgiving Day parade or gone on a rollercoaster or stayed up all night talking to someone on the phone.” He lets out a sigh and says, voice low, “I’ve never been in love.”

Harvey doesn’t know what to do with this. Well, actually, what he wants to do is tell Mike that, if Mike let him, he’d help Mike do all those things and more. Instead he shifts closer to Mike on the bench and says, “You’re still young, Mike. You’ve got plenty of time to do all those things.”

Mike nods, like he believes Harvey just because Harvey’s the one saying it, and then lets out a rueful laugh. “I’m sorry for dumping all this on you. I guess I get kinda maudlin at this time of year.”

Harvey’s about to ask why, but before the words get out he realizes. He saw the date when he read the file on the car crash. “It’s okay,” Harvey says. He stands, offers his hand to Mike, who takes it and pulls himself up.

They start walking back to the office, but they have barely made it a few steps before Mike asks, “Have you ever been in love?”

Harvey doesn’t reply.

*

Harvey has never been good at recognizing when he’s at a crossroads in life. He really only realizes after the fact how important that moment would become in his life. So the feeling of being utterly terrified of making the wrong choice is entirely new to him.

He knows he has to make a decision. Do or do not, there is no try. Because when it comes to Mike, from the moment they met, it was all or nothing. And he knows, even now, before anything has even happened, that if he does this - if Mike even _wants_ this - that it’s going to change everything.

And that scares the shit out of him.

It would be so much easier to let this go. To pretend that when Mike smiles at him that it doesn’t set off the butterflies in his stomach. To act like at the end of the day, alone in his apartment, he doesn’t want Mike there beside him, cooking dinner together in the kitchen or lounging together on the couch as the tv plays a movie they only half watch.

He wishes he didn’t want more, but he does. Oh, how he does. And he doesn’t think he can last much longer without doing something about it.

He needs to think it through, make a plan, decide how best to tell Mike the one thing he never thought he’d tell anyone. That he’s head over heels in love.

*

Harvey’s plan, which was detailed and thorough and he was quite proud of it, goes out the window when Mike calls him one Saturday afternoon and announces that he’s bored and coming over.

“I’m not at home,” Harvey says, amused and not at all aggravated by Mike’s presumption.

“Well get your ass home because I’m coming over and you better be there to entertain me.”

“Who’s the boss in this relationship?” Harvey asks, even though now that Mike has moved up to Senior Associate he technically isn’t Mike’s boss anymore.

Mike laughs at him. “Please,” he scoffs, “you wish you could boss me around still.”

Harvey does, but not for the reasons Mike thinks. Mike thinks he misses having someone to do all the boring jobs and watch him being awesome. In truth he just misses seeing Mike around his office, like it was somewhere he belonged.

“I’ll be home in thirty,” Harvey says instead, and he can practically hear Mike grinning in return.

Harvey ends up meeting Mike outside his apartment building as Mike chains up his bike. “Haven’t seen that thing in a while,” Harvey says.

“Well, I know how you feel about me using it to get to work. Doesn’t mean I stopped using it on the weekends. It’s still the best way to get around.”

Harvey doesn’t argue the point, even though he could. He’s just so happy to have Mike here. And it’s not even like this is the first time Mike has come over just to hang out (though admittedly it is the first time Mike told him he was coming over whether Harvey liked it or not). There’s no reason to be excited about Mike coming over beyond the fact that Harvey just wants him around.

They walk into the building, side by side. “So did you have any thoughts beyond ‘must go annoy Harvey on his day off’?” Harvey asks with a grin.

Mike laughs. “Not really. We could go hit that whiskey bar that you love. Or go out to dinner, or the movies. I don’t mind.”

They reach the elevator banks, and Harvey hits the up button. The doors immediately open, and Harvey places a hand on Mike’s lower back and ushers him in. He presses the button for his level, the doors closing. Mike’s standing in the corner, against the wall, so Harvey stands beside him at the back of the carriage.

“I really don’t care,” Mike reiterates with a shrug. “I was bored-”

“And needed someone to distract you?”

Mike’s face falls slightly, like he’s disappointed. He shifts his gaze to the floor, and Harvey doesn’t know why, but he knows he’s fucked up. “Mike?”

“It’s fine.”

Harvey makes his mind backtrack over the last minute and what he did to cause that expression on Mike’s face. And the only thing he can think of is, “That wasn’t what you were going to say, was it?”

Mike shakes his head, still looking at the floor.

“What were you going to say?”

Mike’s voice is small when he says, “Just that I was bored and when I tried to think about what I wanted to do I realized I didn’t care what it was, I just wanted to spend my time with you.”

Harvey didn’t plan this, in fact he planned pretty much the exact opposite of this, but in this moment he can’t stop himself. He cups Mike around the back of his neck, and as soon as Mike looks up Harvey closes the distance between them and kisses him.

Mike doesn’t hesitate in kissing him back.

*

Harvey didn’t think he’d still be this scared. When he had thought about this, pictured the life that he and Mike could have together if Mike, incredibly, returned Harvey’s feelings, he pictured being much more secure once he had it confirmed that Mike felt the same way.

If anything, it’s even worse than before.

He isn’t worried about falling out of love with Mike. He isn’t worried about Mike falling out of like/lust/love/whatever it was that he currently felt for Harvey (they’ve been dating for a few months now but still haven’t said those three little words, and Harvey would never want to presume that Mike’s in this as deep as he is). But he’s so scared, utterly terrified, of fucking this up, of doing something so irrevocable that Mike will leave and never come back.

He’s scared, now that he has it, that it could all go away just as fast.

Because really, short of having a soulmate mark, there are no guarantees of a happy ending in this life. And he wants that with Mike. He wants them to be together, always, to get married and have a family and grow old together and never ever tell their kids the true story of how they met.

He wants to spend his life with Mike. And he wants Mike to want to spend his life with Harvey.

*

“It’s official,” Harvey pants, “I’ve decided, we’re never leaving this bed.”

Mike chuckles, lifts his head from Harvey’s chest. He leans forward and kisses Harvey, slowly, and because he can be a little shit sometimes he says, “Pretty sure we both have lives outside this room,” as he rolls his hips back and forth, making Harvey groan.

“You’re the worst,” Harvey says, his hand sliding down Mike’s back to grip at the flesh of his ass. Mike makes him feel insatiable, but as much as he would love to go again his body isn’t as young as it used to be and he definitely needs more than a few minutes recovery time.

“That I am,” Mike agrees with a grin, and he kisses Harvey quickly before rolling off him and padding across the room to the ensuite.

Harvey lies there for a moment, eyes closed, warm and content in his bed with the rumpled sheets that smell like Mike. He’s startled by the feeling of a wet washcloth landing on his stomach, and when he opens his eyes he sees Mike across the room, all cleaned up. “Water?” he asks, and when Harvey nods Mike throws him a wink before walking out of the bedroom, buck naked. Harvey enjoys the view as he leaves.

Harvey sits, cleaning himself up, listening to Mike rattle around the kitchen. It hits him them, in this completely ordinary moment, that he’s never been so happy. He’s completely head over heels in love, in a way that he not only didn’t expect but didn’t even think was possible. And even though he’s sure every person falling in love must think this, he can’t help but think that it’s different for him and Mike. It’s more.

He reaches over to his bedside table, opens the top drawer and digs around until he finds the Sharpie pen he knew was in there somewhere. He holds it in his hands, feeling stupid for even contemplating this. He’s not that person, he doesn’t think marked soulmates have the corner on real love, and he knows that people can and do fall in love without it.

But still, there’s that tiny corner of his mind that can’t help but think what if….

He can hear Mike humming away contentedly and before he loses all courage he uncaps the pen and writes _I love you Mike_ on the back of his hand.

A few moments later the sound of a glass breaking on the floor echoes throughout the apartment.

Harvey gasps, his heart pounding in his chest, not wanting to get his hopes up even as he feels it bubble within. And then Mike’s there, rushing into the room, practically leaping onto bed and crawling into Harvey’s lap. Before Harvey can even say anything Mike is cradling Harvey’s face in his hands, kissing him.

“I love you,” Mike says between kisses. Harvey wraps his arms around Mike and pulls him closer, feeling desperate and overwhelmed. “I love you so much.”

Harvey has to pull away, see it with his own eyes. He takes Mike’s hand in his and there it is, clear as day, the declaration of love in his own writing.

Harvey looks back up at Mike, wide eyed and wondrous. “I can’t believe it,” he whispers, and Mike smiles at him. His eyes are wet with tears and he blinks them away, lifting Mike’s hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the skin.

“How did you know?” Mike asks, still shaking in his arms.

“I didn’t,” Harvey admits. He looks back up at Mike and smiles. “I just hoped. I love you so much, more than I ever knew was possible, and I thought maybe this was why.”

Mike’s returning smile is still shaky. “I felt different, with you. Even before we got together, just knowing you, it felt like more, like it was the most important thing I was ever going to do in my life, just knowing you. When I realized I had feelings for you I thought that was why, because you were the one for me. It didn’t even occur to me that you could be my soulmate.”

Harvey kisses Mike, languid but deep, because sometimes there really are just no words.

*

They don’t tell anyone. It’s no one’s business. They know it for themselves and that’s all that matters.

For all that Harvey loves showing off, this is something the world doesn’t get to have.

Knowing that they’re soulmates doesn’t change their relationship at all. They’re still discreet at work (because as much personal relationships are allowed at Pearson Hardman they aren’t exactly encouraged either), they still spend their evenings curled up on the couch together, they still bicker over whose turn it is to do laundry or make dinner.

But the knowledge that they’re soulmates does do one thing. It takes away the doubt. They know that no matter what happens, they’ll get through it, together. They’re meant to be.

Harvey and Mike get married three weeks after they discover the soulmark. They would’ve done it sooner, but their schedules didn’t really permit it. It’s a quiet ceremony, with just a handful of their friends and family in attendance, and they celebrate with a gorgeous rooftop dinner, complete with fairy lights and flowers and Harvey’s favorite singer serenading them for their first dance (Harvey really doesn’t want to know how Donna managed to organize a perfect evening on such short notice - and how much it cost them, not that he really cares - but he does make a mental note to make sure her Christmas bonus goes up by a zero this year).

They did discuss letting their nearest and dearest in on their soulmark secret, but in the end decided to keep it to themselves. At least for a little while longer.

They settle into married life easily. And most of the time, the fact that his and Mike’s love is literally one in a billion doesn’t enter his mind. The only time he really thinks about it is when the mark comes in handy, like when Mike has left his phone at work so Harvey writes _don’t forget we need milk_ on the back of his hand for Mike to see.

(Mike’s favorite way to use their mark is to write what he wants to do to Harvey when they get home that evening as Harvey’s in a meeting. Harvey makes it a habit to keep his hand beneath the desk in important meetings just in case, and whenever Mike is cheeky enough to try it Harvey’s best punishment is withholding sex until Mike agrees that Harvey can do whatever he wants to Mike. It’s a win/win.)

They have a good life together, with everything they could ever want. And Harvey is never so happy as when he wakes up in the morning and he sees Mike sleeping soundly beside him.

Harvey’s so fucking grateful that he fell in love with his soulmate.


	124. beginnings don’t always happen on time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a new year's ficlet...

_10.51am, January 1st._ **  
**

Everything hurts. That’s the first and only coherent thought Mike has as he opens his eyes. The room is too bright and his throat is too dry and his head is pounding like a construction crew is in there, working overtime.

He lets out a groan, throws his arm over his eyes, and tries to make everything stop with the power of thought alone.

It doesn’t work.

He needs water. He needs advil. He needs to go back to sleep and not wake up for a year.

He tries the latter for at least ten minutes without success. Resigning himself to the fact that he’s awake and that isn’t going to change any time soon, Mike slowly blinks his eyes open, looking around the room to discover he’s not actually at home.

He’s in someone else’s bedroom.

He panics for a moment before his eyes alight on Harvey, sitting on the chaise in the corner of the room, and he feels relief rush through him. He’s at Harvey’s place. He might be awfully hung over, he might not remember anything after he drank too much and left the apartment, but he’s here, so whatever happened at least he knows he’s okay and safe with Harvey.

Mike sits gingerly, and the movement makes Harvey look up from his book. He smirks at Mike, and before Harvey can make a no doubt biting yet undeniably funny remark about Mike’s current state, Mike says, “I know, I know.”

Harvey chuckles, marking his page and putting the book aside. “Coffee or water?”

“Water please,” Mike replies. He needs something cool and clean if he’s going to be expected to continue speaking.

Harvey heads to the kitchen, coming back not only with a glass of water but a couple of pills. Mike accepts them with a grateful smile.

After throwing back the pills and swallowing half the glass of water Mike says, “Sorry if I ruined your New Years.”

Harvey looks at him a beat too long, an expression Mike can’t understand on his face. “You didn’t,” he says carefully.

Mike leans back against the headboard, massaging his temple and hoping the advil will kick in soon. Everything still hurts.

“You didn’t have to rescue me from public indecency or intoxication or anything did you? Man, that would’ve put a dampener on your New Year’s Eve.”

Harvey is still looking at him strangely, but then his expression clears and he heads back to the chaise, picking up his book before settling down and nonchalantly asking, “How much do you remember about last night?”

“Honestly, after leaving my apartment everything’s pretty much a blur.”

Harvey nods absently, opening his book up and starting to read.

“Why? What happened?” Mike asks, suddenly nervous about all the missing time.

“Nothing,” Harvey says, still looking at his book.

Mike furrows his brow, not convinced that could be true since he’s here and not at home. But it’s early and bright and everything hurts, so he decides now is not the time to worry about it. He slides back down under the covers and tries to get back to sleep.

 

* * *

_11.26pm, January 4th._

Mike’s lying in bed, trying in vain to get to sleep, when he remembers.

He sits up with the force of the memory, somehow certain that it actually happened even when the memory is hazy when viewed through the layers of alcohol he had consumed. The pounding of his heart and the ghost of a feeling on his lips is too real, too visceral, and he knows it isn’t some drunken fantasy playing out in his head. It was real.

He doesn’t think - which granted seems to be his modus operandi at the moment - just gets up and gets dressed. It’s been four days, and he isn’t wasting another second.

It’s unsurprisingly difficult to find a cab, but after ten minutes of walking in the right direction he manages to flag one down. He gives them the address in a rush, mentally willing the car to go faster even though he knows it won’t.

Once he’s dropped outside of the building he practically runs inside, not even having time to greet Harvey’s doorman as he passes. The elevator is interminably slow, and he paces the small space as the nerves hit him with full force.

What if he fucked up? What if it’s too late? What if Harvey can’t forgive him?

But he has to know. Now that he remembers, he can’t pretend like it didn’t happen, even if Harvey was seemingly willing to. They’ve come too far for that now. They owe it to themselves to try and see what happens.

When the elevator doors open he rushes down the hall, raises his first - but doesn’t knock on the door, because Harvey’s already opening it, concern clear on his face.

“Carlos said you were running in here like a madman, what’s wrong?” Harvey asks.

Mike drops his hand, steps forward, and kisses him.

It starts simple, a chaste pressing of lips, but Mike wastes no time, taking Harvey’s face in his hands and opening his mouth to deepen the kiss. Harvey groans at the first touch of their tongues, and Mike can feel the firm touch of Harvey’s hands on his hips as their bodies press together. They stumble back into the apartment without separating, Mike kicking the door closed behind him, and against Mike’s mouth Harvey whispers, “You remember.”

 

* * *

 

_01.37am, January 1st._

Mike bangs loudly on Harvey’s front door. He doesn’t let up until Harvey opens the door, frowning grumpily at him, but Mike just grins. “Heeeeey.”

“You’re drunk,” Harvey says.

“Nope, no, that is absolutely not true and how dare you impugn my honour in this way.” After a beat Mike cracks up laughing and says, “I’m totally drunk.”

Harvey rolls his eyes, but he still opens the door wider to admit Mike inside. “It’s nearly two o’clock in the morning, Mike,” he says as they head to the kitchen.

“On New Year’s,” Mike points out. “That’s like nine pm on any other day. Don’t tell me you were sleeping or something.”

“I wasn’t.”

Mike gasps dramatically. “Do you have someone here?” he asks in what is supposed to be a whisper but is actually far from it. “Do you have someone stashed away in your bedroom or something? Coz I know you’ve done that before, pretend you’re alone when I come over even when someone’s here. Helloooo,” Mike calls out, walking towards the bedroom, “where are youuuuu?”

Mike turns back at the sound of Harvey chuckling. “There’s no one here, Mike.”

“Oh. Well good, because I just remembered why I came here and it would be super awkward if you had someone else naked in your bed right now.”

“Someone else…?”

“Yup,” Mike grins, nodding vigorously. And then he undoes the buttons on his coat, letting it drop the floor. He unzips his hoodie next, and it soon joins the coat. He has his hands on his t-shirt when Harvey steps forward and puts his hands on Mike’s, stilling him.

“What’s going on, Mike?”

Despite his level of intoxication it’s like that one touch saps Mike of all his bravado. “I started drinking for liquid courage but I may have overdone it. But I thought if I had to try this sober then…”

Harvey still looks confused, so Mike leans forward and kisses him. It’s sloppy, but Harvey doesn’t push him away, which Mike takes as a good sign. He tries to push at Harvey’s clothes, but Harvey steps back, out of his reach.

“Mike.”

Even in this state Mike feels the hot rush of rejection roll through his body. “I’m sorry,” Mike says, looking away.

Harvey lets out a sigh and says, “Come on, let’s get you to bed. Just you,” he adds, when Mike looks up at him hopefully.

Harvey ushers him into the bedroom and helps him out of his shoes, socks, and jeans. Mike practically collapses into the bed, and Harvey pulls the covers over him. He sits on the edge of the bed, pressing his hand to Mike’s forehead. Mike smiles at the touch.

“If you need anything, I’ll be just over there,” Harvey says, tipping his head to the chaise in the corner of the room.

“Okay.”

But he doesn’t move. He stays there, looking down at Mike with what, if Mike was sober, he might call fondness. And then he reaches out and runs his fingers through Mike’s hair in a soothing motion.

“I’m not saying no, Mike. In fact, there’s nothing I’d love more than to say yes. But not like this. If you still want to kiss me when you’re sober, well, I won’t stop you.”

Mike grins lazily up at him. “I’ll still want to. I always want to.”

Harvey smiles. He slowly leans down and presses a kiss to Mike’s forehead and says, “Well in that case, I can’t wait to see you in the morning.”


	125. Chapter 125

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: I just need ten minutes, for anon

Mike takes a deep breath. He can do this. He can totally do this. He stands straighter, schools his features into a look of determination, and crosses the floor to Harvey’s office.

He knocks on the open door and walks in without being invited. “Harvey.”

“Not now, Mike,” Harvey replies, gaze still focused on his laptop.

“I just need ten minutes.”

“And I’d love to give them to you, but Jessica is riding my ass over this case and my witness just recanted and I don’t-”

“I’ve been offered a job.”

That gets Harvey’s attention. His fingers still and he looks up at Mike, shock etched into every corner of his face. “What?” Harvey says, his voice tremulous.

“You heard me.”

“Yeah, I did, I just….” Harvey trails off, doesn’t finish the thought, just keeps staring at him. “Are you … are you going to take it?”

Mike hasn’t even answered yet and already Harvey looks hurt, like he’s resigning himself to the inevitable, which is Mike leaving him. “I don’t know,” Mike admits. He lets out a shuddering breath and collapses on the sofa, head in his hands. It doesn’t take long for him to feel the sofa dipping beside him.

He knows what he has to do. After all these years it’s time to tell Harvey the truth and see what happens. He just needs to find the courage to actually do it.

It takes a few moments, but he finally raises his head and looks at Harvey. “Okay, cards on the table?” Harvey nods slowly. “I _should_ take it. It’s for a good company, and it’s not as a lawyer, so I can stop putting everyone - especially you - in danger by virtue of simply being here. It’s well paid and closer to home and seems like a really great place to work.”

“Sounds perfect,” Harvey says, not a little bitterly. “Why haven’t you taken it already?”

“Because of you.”

It isn’t often Mike gets to genuinely surprise Harvey. He knows he impresses Harvey with his memory and his ideas when it comes to casework. But this is something different, and Mike can’t help but revel in it.

“I haven’t accepted it yet because of you. Because I owe you everything, and I can’t bear the thought of leaving you. I can’t imagine us not working together anymore. Even the idea of not seeing you every day makes me feel sick, and I don’t want to live a life without you in it.”

Mike can’t tear his gaze away from Harvey’s, but that’s okay, because Harvey doesn’t seem inclined to look away either. Mike suddenly realises how close they are - he can feel the line of Harvey’s body against him, their knees pressing together - and he just wants more, to press his mouth to Harvey’s skin and breathe in his scent and be completely wrapped up in him.

Finally Harvey breaks their heavy gaze. Mike’s heart is pounding in his chest. He knows he crossed an unspoken line and there are a million ways Harvey could react. And he honestly doesn’t know which way Harvey will go.

After what feels like years Harvey turns back to him. “Take the job.”

“What?” Mike replies, his voice a near perfect echo of Harvey’s a few minutes ago.

“Take the job, Mike. And then, at the end of your first day, let me take you out to dinner.”

Mike swallows thickly. “Really?”

Harvey nods, reaching over and placing a hand over Mike’s. Mike doesn’t hesitate to move his hand so their fingers are tangled together, a touch much more intimate, and Harvey smiles in response. “Even if we don’t work together anymore, I’m not living a life without you in it either.”


	126. Chapter 126

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: he's four years old, for anon.  
> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it.

Mike never thought he’d be back here.

Those few days he spent roaming the Harvard campus, trying to pick up tidbits of information he might need to try and validate the lie of a life he was about to live, felt like forever ago. He was a different man now. If you had’ve found Mike that day and told him that nearly a decade later he’d be married to the man that hired him and they’d have an adorable son whom Mike loved more than anything in this life, well, that Mike probably would’ve wondered if he still had some drugs lingering in his system.

To be honest he doesn’t know how he feels about being back on Harvard grounds. He can see a sense of contentment settle over Harvey, a feeling of nostalgia he doesn’t normally succumb to working its magic on him. He can see the excitement on Emmett’s face, thrilled at the newness of it all and captivated by the expanses of snow covered grounds before him. But for Mike, Harvard has always been a shadow in the corner of his mind, a reminder of how different things could’ve gone had he just been _better_.

But then Harvey’s fingers slide through his, and Mike turns to look at his husband, and he knows that if he’d made it here when he was meant to then he never would’ve met Harvey. And that is a scenario that is simply unacceptable.

They’re back here because Harvey has been asked to do some guest lecturing, and they decided to make a mini vacation of it. They’re using Cambridge as their base and then exploring the local area along with doing some day trips further afield. Harvey has already told him about several places he remembers from his Harvard days that he wants to show Mike, and Mike might have done some research about what other interesting places they could visit while they were here. They haven’t gotten out of Manhattan in so long, and he thinks all three of them could use this break away from everyday life.

Poor Emmett vacillated between uncontrollable excitement and utter boredom the whole drive here, but now that they’ve arrived and he can run around the snow covered quad he’s definitely back to uncontrollable excitement. Mike’s happy to let him burn off some energy. He still hasn’t decided if he’ll attend Harvey’s lectures - Harvey asked him to come along, and he’s sure Emmett could behave himself for an hour if they sat quietly in the back - but he doesn’t need to decide either way yet. For now they can just wander along the grounds, together and content.

“I’d forgotten how beautiful it was,” Mike admits.

Harvey makes a noise of assent, and when Mike follows his gaze he sees Harvey is watching Emmett, rolling around in the snow and laughing his head off. It does something to Mike, the fact that Harvey has returned to a place with which he speaks of nothing but fondness, and yet he still can’t take his eyes off their son.

“Hey,” Mike says, tugging on Harvey’s hand, and Harvey meets his eyes. Mike leans over and kisses him. “I’m glad we’re here.”

Harvey grins. “Me too,” he says, and Harvey is the one to close the gap between them this time.

They’re interrupted from what would probably be an inappropriately long make out by Emmett running into their legs. They break apart, laughing, and Emmett grabs Mike’s hand and tugs, saying, “Let’s go!”

They let Emmett lead them away, and Harvey says, “I think Emmett will like studying here.”

“He’s four years old,” Mike points out. “It’s a little too early to start planning his college future.”

“It’s never too early,” Harvey says, and Mike can’t help but roll his eyes. “Plus, he’s a legacy, with two lawyers for fathers. No way is he going to be something other than a lawyer.”

“Emmett will be whatever he wants to be and we will support him one hundred percent,” Mike says, not a little firmly. He probably wouldn’t have been so insistent if Harvey hadn’t made the _two lawyers for fathers_ comment (and in all honestly it’s not like he himself hasn’t thought that Emmett might grow up to be a lawyer before). But Mike hasn’t been a lawyer in four years, he’ll never practice law again, and he can’t help but wonder what they’ll tell Emmett when he grows up, the truth about how they met, about Mike’s past.

“Hey, Mike, what is it?” Harvey asks, concern clear in his voice.

Mike shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“No it’s not. Talk to me.”

Mike lets out a deep sigh, takes a moment to watch Emmett as he runs ahead of them before coming back, grinning the whole time. “Emmett will be going to school soon.”

Harvey looks confused by the apparent non sequitur. “Yeah…”

“I guess I’ve just been … I can’t go back to being a lawyer, but as much as I love you and Emmett I don’t want to spend the rest of my life being a stay at home dad either. I need to get back out there, start working again. I just … I don’t know as what.”

Harvey nods thoughtfully. “You don’t have to work, Mike. No, let me finish,” he quickly adds when Mike tries to cut him off. “You don’t _need_ to work, which means you don’t have to rush into it. Take your time, think about what you want to do, maybe even see if you want to go back to school and study for a bit. Whatever you want, I’ll support you.”

Mike smiles warmly. “I know you will.”

“Just like I’ll support our son even if he decides to give up his birthright and not come to Harvard.”

Mike chuckles. “Well, like I said, he’s only four. It’s a pretty impressionable age. Who knows, maybe this vacation will imprint on his mind and he’ll grow up wanting to come back here.”

Harvey grins. “Fingers crossed.”


	127. Chapter 127

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt: If I die, I’m going to haunt your ass, for anon

“You’re overreacting.”

“I am not, you son of a bitch, and how dare you imply such a thing.”

Harvey smirks. “Okay, I take it back, you’re acting with complete rationality.”

“I hate you.”

This just makes Harvey’s grin widen. “Sure you do.”

Mike turns away, biting his lips. When he looks back he has his best puppy eyes expression on, and Harvey might be in danger of falling for it, had he not built up an immunity over the last few years. “Do I really have to do this?” Mike asks with an exaggerated whine.

“Sorry, Mike, a bet’s a bet. You know if you’d won then you would’ve made me follow through on it.”

Mike’s face slowly brightens, his eyes losing focus as though he’s picturing how the outcome would’ve gone down had he won their wager. “Hell yeah I would.”

Harvey laughs. “Well, maybe if you’re a very good boy,” he says, lowering his voice in a way he knows Mike loves, “and fulfil the obligations of our bet then maybe I’ll do it anyway.”

Mike’s eyes widen in excitement before he turns and walks out of the office, throwing a, “She’s gonna kill me, you know. If I die, I’m going to haunt your ass,” over his shoulder as he leaves.

“You do that,” Harvey calls after him.

*

Mike’s back less than five minutes later. Even Harvey thought it would’ve taken longer than that. Mike looks … determined, which is not an expression he expected. He thought Mike might come back looking shaken or triumphant or relieved, but determined is a surprise. It’s still a good look on him though.

“So, how’d it go?” Harvey asks.

Mike doesn’t answer, just walks across the room. Harvey, still slightly confused, stands from his desk, but he doesn’t get far. Mike meets him there, taking Harvey’s face in his hands and kissing him.

“Never make me do that again,” Mike says, smiling, before pressing their lips together again.

Harvey chuckles. “You lost fair and square,” Harvey says against his mouth. He deepens the kiss, even though he knows he shouldn’t, that they’re at the office and despite what just happened this is still inappropriate. But once he starts, it’s difficult to stop kissing Mike.

“Okay,” Harvey says, finding the strength to pull away, “what did she say?”

Mike lips quirk. “She said to not bother wasting her time telling her something she saw coming a mile away.”

“That’s it?” Harvey presses, because he can’t imagine that when Jessica was told that they’ve been in a secret relationship for the last three months (secret because of the implied rule discouraging relationships between ranks) that her reaction was so simple and dismissive.

Mike pretends to think about it for a moment, before nodding. “Yup, that was it.”

Mike grins at him, then leans in again for another kiss. Harvey acquiesces, because it’s early on a Monday and no one is around and, as much as he tries, the fact that they are together at all despite so many odds just goes to prove that Mike is near impossible to resist.

“I thought I said no inappropriate behaviour at work.”

They jump apart, turning to see Jessica standing in Harvey’s office, arms crossed and a murderous expression on her face. Harvey turns to Mike, incredulous, and Mike admits, “Okay, so maybe that wasn’t everything she said.”


	128. Chapter 128

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt: the skirt is supposed to be this short, for rainarahl & lawsonpines13

Mike can’t help but chuckle against Harvey’s chest. They’re both still sweaty and breathless and coming down after the high of some frankly mind blowing sex (not that that’s a surprise, it’s always amazing), and since Mike’s brain works the way it does he can’t help but realize an utterly ridiculously fact.

Harvey’s fingers thread through his hair as he asks, “What is it?”

Mike looks up, chin pressing into Harvey’s chest. “I just realized that this is the last time I’ll ever have premarital sex.”

Harvey rolls his eyes. “Really?”

“I can’t help the way my brain works!”

Harvey laughs. He runs his fingertips down the spine of Mike’s back, and he doesn’t stop there. “Maybe we could get one more round in.”

Mike groans at the touch, but says, “Pretty sure we don’t have time for that.”

Harvey makes a noise of disappointment, but Mike kisses him silent.

“Are you sure about this?” Harvey asks when they break away.

Mike grins at him. “What, the marrying you part, or the _I know it was supposed to be just us but I feel guilty about it and can we ask Donna to be our witness at the last minute_ part?”

“Both.”

Mike kisses him, slow and deep. “I’m sure.”

Honestly, Mike would’ve been totally fine with it just being the two of them, but he doesn’t begrudge Harvey wanting to ask Donna to come along. They were two peas in a pod for a long time, long before Mike and Harvey ever met, so he doesn’t begrudge Harvey this. In fact, he’s surprised Harvey held out so long before asking if it was alright if Donna was their witness since she was here anyway.

“Alright,” Harvey says, grinning, “come on, let’s do this.”

They tumble out of bed and head to the double shower to clean up. Their suite is frankly ridiculous in its opulence, but Harvey had insisted that since they weren’t able to have their honeymoon straight away - they’re planning an overseas trip for next year - then they at least deserved the best room in the hotel for their wedding night. Normally Mike would think such an extravagance was unnecessary, but he didn’t argue the point this time. They were here for a conference, so their days have been filled with boring seminars and networking sessions. It’s been nice to come back to a luxurious room and share the biggest bed he’d ever seen with the man he loved and was about to marry.

Mike wouldn’t say their decision to get married in Vegas was spur of the moment, but it wasn’t a long and thought out plan either. Harvey had proposed less than a month ago, and it became quickly apparent that neither of them needed an extravagant ceremony or reception. Mike has no family and few friends to speak of, and Harvey’s brother has just moved to Macau for work so he wouldn’t be able to make it. Truthfully, the only thing they cared about was getting married to each other, the sooner the better, because when you finally found what you’d been looking for your whole life, why bother waiting?

It was Harvey’s suggestion that they turn their Vegas trip into their wedding day, and his only stipulation had been that they not get married by an Elvis impersonator. It was a rule Mike was happy to comply with. So they found somewhere small but nice and booked in for the night before their last conference obligation (which they had always planned to blow off).

It’s tempting to linger in the shower, but they really don’t have time. They dress into the suits they bought especially for the occasion and Mike digs into his suitcase to pull out the rings. When they meet by the door to leave Harvey says, “Last chance to back out.”

Mike smiles at him. “Never.”

They take the elevator down five levels and knock on Donna’s door. She answers dressed in a white bathrobe pulled tightly around her body, but nevertheless she lets them in, asking, “What’s up?”

“What are you doing?” Harvey asks.

Donna shrugs. “Was just going to take a bath, have a quiet night in. Why?”

“Well…” Harvey looks over at Mike, who smiles encouragingly. “Mike and I are about to go get married and we were wondering if you wanted to be our witness.”

Donna looks shocked. “You’re getting married _now_?”

Harvey nods, smiling. Donna looks back and forth between them and says, “I can’t believe it, this is so unexpected, if only I had something to wear…” before dropping her robe to reveal a blue, sequined dress underneath.

They all burst into laughter.

“ _You knew_?” Harvey asks.

Donna shrugs. “I suspected.”

“Unbelievable,” Harvey says, but he’s still laughing, and they step forward and hug warmly.

Mike’s surprise must be showing on his face - for all the events and parties they’ve been to he’s never seen her dressed quite like that - because when Donna turns back to him she tilts her head and asks, “What?”

“Nothing,” Mike says quickly, but when Donna levels a look at him like she isn’t going to move until he confesses he admits, “Uh, it’s just, is it supposed to be-”

“Yes, Mike, the skirt is supposed to be this short. I know you aren’t judging me for my clothes, are you?”

“Of course not!”

“Good, because this,” and she does a little twirl, so they can appreciate every angle of the short, form fitted dress, “is the perfect balance between trashy and couture. Perfect for a Vegas wedding.”

“Who knew such a thing existed,” Mike laughs.

“I did, when I bought it last weekend to wear when you kids got hitched. Speaking of, let’s go. We’ll be late.”

“How did you even - you know what, I’m not even asking,” Mike says, resigned. Donna laughs, sliding her feet into a pair of pumps and heading to the door. Mike shakes his head, turns to Harvey. “Alright, you ready?”

“I’ve been ready since the day we met,” Harvey says with a wink, following Donna out the door.

Mike’s brain, with its near infinite amount of processing power, can’t handle such a statement. It tries its very best, but there’s no way for it to comprehend this new piece of information, and when his brain finally starts up again all Mike can do is hustle after Harvey with a, “Wait, what?”


	129. Chapter 129

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt: you’re cute when you’re all worried, for poedameron

Mike is, not to put too fine a point on it, a bundle of nerves.

He must’ve shuffled the stack of papers in front of him at least a dozen times. He’s biting his lower lip, which makes it even pinker than normal. He’s spinning his pen around with such practised ease Harvey wonders how many years he’s been doing it.

“You’ll be fine,” Harvey says gently.

Mike just scoffs. “How can you be sure?”

“Do you really think I’d let you take charge of the motion if I didn’t think you could do it?”

Mike seems to genuinely consider that for a moment. He nods, gives Harvey a grateful smile, and he settles back in his chair, visibly relaxed.

It doesn’t last.

Three minutes later Mike is shuffling his papers again.

“You’re cute when you’re all worried,” Harvey says, and Mike stills for a moment before turning to Harvey, surprise clear on his face.

“Are you - did you just…” He looks around nervously, then leans in closer and asks, “Are you flirting with me right now?”

Harvey leans in too, smirking. “And what if I am?”

Mike looks at him for a moment, confused, then thoughtful, and then finally he laughs, sitting back in his chair. “I get it, you’re just trying to distract me so I won’t get too nervous.”

“Yup,” Harvey replies easily. “Is it working?”

“Maybe. You might just have to keep going, tell me how hot you think I am and how you wish we could just sneak off into another room and make out or something … you know, just to be sure it’s working.”

Harvey smiles slowly, delighted. “Are _you_ flirting with _me_ now?”

Mike shrugs, but he can’t stop his lips from quirking up slightly. Harvey can definitely work with this.

“Okay. Mike, once you absolutely own opposing council, making him weep tears of regret for all the years he wasted at law school just to be shown how it’s done by someone ten years his junior, I’m going to wrap my long fingers firmly around your wrist and pull you into the nearest empty meeting room, pressing you against the closed door and sink-”

Harvey is cut off by Mike’s hand across his mouth. “Stop. Talking,” Mike groans.

Harvey grins beneath Mike’s hand, and when Mike doesn’t pull back he licks his palm. Mike moves away reflexively, and Harvey says, “Speaking of licking…”

“Oh my God,” Mike moans, closing his eyes briefly. “If you keep this up I’m not going to be able to stand when the judge walks in and that will not endear me to her and I’ll fuck this up and lose the motion.”

“Okay,” Harvey says, hands up in surrender. “But are you still nervous?”

“Not about the _case_.”

“Well then, mission accomplished.”

Mike glares at him, but he can’t put much heat into it. He takes a deep breath. “Okay. I can do this.”

“Yes you can.”

“And when I win this you and I are going to go find an empty meeting room.”

“Yes we are.”


	130. Chapter 130

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt: you can scream if you want, for anon.  
> This fic takes place in the [this life, this love,](http://archiveofourown.org/works/339708) verse, but it's a stand alone so will still make sense even if you haven't read it.

Mike gets the text when he’s sitting at his cubicle, reading an unnecessarily long email from Louis about the food supply in the break room and the rights and responsibilities of all involved (specifically that it’s the right of the partners to have food available 24/7, and that it’s the responsibility of the associates and admin to make sure said food never runs out). He’s chuckling at Louis’ ridiculousness when his phone chimes and he nonchalantly grabs his phone and sees the notification.

_It’s time._

It’s not that Mike doesn’t understand the message. Even if he didn’t see that the sender was Siobhan there could only be one meaning for such a message. It just takes a moment to process it.

When he finally does Mike stands from his desk and rushes to Harvey’s office with such haste that he almost crashes into a fellow associate (once) and he nearly trips over his own feet (twice). He’s panting by the time he bursts into Harvey’s office - more from the combination of excitement and nerves than his fitness level - and before Harvey can admonish him Mike says, “It’s time.”

“It’s time?” Harvey says with a furrowed brow, but then as soon as the sentence leaves his mouth his eyes widen and he stands. “It’s time.”

Mike nods, and Harvey begins packing up in such a way that if Mike weren’t feeling so generous he might call it flailing.

“Meet you at the elevator in two,” Mike says, before running back to his desk. He packs up his things and grabs his bag and rushes to the elevator. Harvey’s already there, and he presses the call button as soon as he sees Mike approach.

“This is really happening,” Mike breathes, wondrous and terrified all at once.

Harvey just reaches over and slides his fingers through Mike’s, gripping tightly.

*

Mike winces in sympathy. He has never in his life been more grateful to have been born with male parts.

“You can scream if you want,” Harvey says.

“Who, me or Mike?” Siobhan asks, smiling. She is flushed and sweaty, hair sticking to her face, looking exhausted. But she is also one of the most amazing things Mike has ever seen.

“Are you sure it’s okay that we’re in here?” Mike asks for the tenth time, pointedly ignoring his husband and their surrogate ganging up on him. Really, for someone in labor for the first time, Siobhan is being remarkably relaxed about the whole thing. (Mike probably would’ve passed out by now if it was him.)

“Of course. This is your baby. You deserve to be here when he makes his grand entrance in the world.”

It’s like you could hear a pin drop. Even the machines and their rhythmic noises seem to quieten. Siobhan looks between Harvey and Mike, confused, and then when she realizes what she’s said her face twists into mortification. “Fuck,” she breathes. “Um … surprise?”

Before either of them can respond Siobhan is hit with another contraction. She squeezes their hands tightly as the doctor coaches her through the pain. It seems like the contraction lasts forever, and when it’s over she collapses back on the bed.

Harvey grabs a cup of iced water and hands it to her, which she sips gratefully.

“So how long have you known?” Harvey asks.

“Since the twenty week scan,” Siobhan admits.

Mike starts laughing. “You mean to say you’ve known for nearly five months that we were having a boy and you managed to keep it secret all this time, only to let it slip mere minutes before he is actually born.”

It’s so ridiculous, and it’s probably more a result of the adrenaline than anything else, but the three of them start laughing and can’t seem to stop.

“Well, in my defense,” Siobhan says, “my brain isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders right now.”

“It’s okay,” Harvey tells her, grinning. He leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. And then he very gently places a hand on her swollen belly. “Hey Mike,” Harvey says, and Mike looks at Harvey across the other side of the hospital bed. “We’re going to have a son.”

Mike doesn’t know why finding out the gender makes it so much more real. For goodness sake, Siobhan is literally in labor, this is as real as it gets. And yet, finding out they are going to have a boy, it’s overwhelming.

He puts his hand atop Harvey’s, smiling at him. It’s finally happening. They’re about to become a family, and Mike is equal parts excited and terrified. All he wants is to be a good father. And he thinks, no matter what happens, what trials they are about to face, all the good and bad moments that will surely come, there’s no one in the world he would want to do this with other than Harvey.

“I love you,” Mike says softy.

Harvey smiles at him. “I love you too.”

They just stare unabashedly at each other for a moment, until Siobhan says, “Nawww, you guys are so cute. I can’t believe-”

Whatever she’s about to say is lost when another contraction hits. Harvey and Mike immediately give their hands back to Siobhan and start murmuring encouraging words.

“Okay you three,” the doctor says. “Get ready. It’s time.”

*

Mike holds his squishy, wriggling, screaming, beautiful son in his hands. He never knew his heart could feel so full.


	131. Chapter 131

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written for the prompt: you got a cute butt, for sussoria

As soon as Harvey realized his feelings for Mike had gone beyond the professional, even beyond the familial, that they’d gone further than he ever anticipated, he promised himself that he would never inflict those feelings on Mike. Mike, who was so happy now that he and Rachel were dating. Mike, who deserved everything good in the world and more than Harvey could ever give. Mike, who Harvey just didn’t deserve.

So he sat back, listened as Mike raved about Rachel, nodded and smiled along as Mike waxed poetic about his love life.

He figured that this was his punishment. Harvey wasn’t an idiot. He knew both Donna and Scottie had feelings for him, but even though he never encouraged them, he never did anything to actively dissuade them either. He gave Donna liberties he shouldn’t have, and he slept with Scottie for years, and while he felt many emotions for them both - admiration, like, respect, appreciation - he didn’t feel what he knew they felt. And now, he was in the exact same position they were in: having feelings for someone who didn’t have those same feelings back.

It was for the best. Harvey was in no position to have an actual adult relationship, despite how genuinely and wholeheartedly he cared for Mike. For all his social graces and sexual prowess, relationships were a foreign territory to him. For most kids it’s their parents divorce that fucks them up. Not Harvey. No, for him it was his parents marriage. He saw two people who went into a relationship on unequal terms - different wants, different needs, different levels of affection - and it was a great example of how _not_ to have a relationship. He decided long ago that he was never going to enter a relationship for the wrong reasons, like his parents had. And it was a decision he has stuck to and never really regretted.

He’d never met anyone who made him want a relationship before now.

But it was all for the best. He would probably just fuck it up in the long run. Harvey told himself, again and again, that Mike was happy, and he was with someone with whom he could build a good life, and that was all that mattered.

So when Harvey received a text from Mike - _911 my apt_ \- he didn’t exactly rush over to Mike’s apartment. Because, although he didn’t know the specifics, all Mike had been talking about all week was the ‘big date’ he had planned for Saturday night. Mike had seemed so excited about it, and Harvey had, as always, just smiled and nodded along. So Harvey could only assume his emergency was date related, and though Mike was his friend and Harvey would do anything for him, that didn’t mean he needed to rush across town just to help him deal with whatever disaster has occurred while planning his date with someone else.

Mike opened the door mere seconds after Harvey knocked, his face brightening instantly. “You’re here,” Mike exclaimed, wrapping his fingers around Harvey’s forearm and pulling him into the room.

“What’s the emergency?”

“So, I might’ve mentioned my big night tonight-”

“Once or twice,” Harvey muttered.

“-and I need your help deciding what to wear.”

Harvey seriously couldn’t believe that was why Mike made him come all the way over here. “Really?” Harvey deadpanned.

“Hey, you’re the most stylish guy I know. If I looked half as good as you I’d count myself lucky.”

Harvey tried not to preen under the compliment. He knew logically Mike just meant that Harvey dressed in nice, expensive suits, but his heart ignored that, and started thumping hard in his chest.

“Fine,” Harvey said, trying to grumble but if Mike’s grin was any indication he wasn’t entirely successful.

“Okay, so which of these should I wear?” Mike asked, picking up two nearly identical t-shirts, one in white and one in a light blue.

To be honest Mike would look good in either, but just because Mike wore white shirts so regularly to work he thought a change would be nice, so he said, “The blue one.”

“Awesome,” Mike grinned. And then he stripped his current t-shirt off, right there in the middle of the room. Harvey’s gut instinct was to turn away, but he steeled himself, thinking that looking away would be more telling. He tried to appear nonchalant, and he had no idea if he succeeded.

“Okay,” Mike said, once the blue shirt was on. Harvey smiled. It looked good on him. “Do these pants look okay?” Mike asked, lifting his t-shirt up so Harvey could see the entire length of his dark, skinny jeans, exposing his lean stomach in the process.

Harvey swallowed thickly as Mike did a slow turn.

“Yeah,” he replied, voice strangled. “Looks good.”

Mike placed his palms to his lower back and angled his body, quite clearly showing of his assets, asking Harvey over his shoulder, “You sure?”

Harvey rolled his eyes. “Come on Mike, you know you’ve got a cute butt.”

Mike laughed, dropping his t-shirt and brushing the material down. “Cute butt? What are you, twelve?”

“You’re the one wanting validation for your outfit choice,” Harvey retorts. Not his best deflection, but it’ll do. “Anyone would think this was your first date or something.”

“Yeah,” Mike replied, chuckling in a weird, almost nervous way, which made no sense to Harvey. But before he could press on the topic Mike said, “Okay, I need one more favor.”

“What is it?”

“So I really want tonight to be special, you know, so I’ve been thinking all week about different ideas and I’ve narrowed it down to two: a sunset stroll around the Cloisters, or an intimate dinner at this amazing, out of the way Italian restaurant I know.”

“Well, Rachel is a foodie, so the restaurant might be good. But then, the Cloisters might be more romantic…”

“If it was you,” Mike said, and Harvey looked sharply to him then, “which would you want to do?”

Mike was looking at him, all nerves and something else, something that looked like hope, and Harvey didn’t understand but he still answered anyway. “The Cloisters.”

Mike nodded, and then he smiled and stepped forward. “Okay, are you ready to go?”

“Go? Go where?”

“For a sunset stroll around the Cloisters.”

Harvey heard what Mike said, he just couldn’t understand it. “What? I thought - what about Rachel?”

Mike looked sheepish. “Yeah, that didn’t exactly work out.”

“When did this happen?”

“A while ago,” Mike admitted. “I tried, for a long time, but I couldn’t deny how much deeper my feelings were for you than they ever were for her.”

Harvey’s confusion was warring with the hope that had started to stir within. He needed more answers before he could completely surrender. “So all week, you talking about your big date tonight…”

“I was trying to get a reaction from you. See if you might be jealous,” Mike admitted.

“I was.”

Mike smiled slowly. “I thought - hoped -  you might be, but I still wasn’t sure. I didn’t know how to ask you out, so I made a deal with myself: if you came when I called then I’d ask you out.”

Harvey took a step forward, smirking. “And yet I am yet to hear the words _will you go out with me Harvey_ from you.”

“Will you go out with me, Harvey?”

“Yes.”


	132. Chapter 132

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was me dealing with my post 6x11 feels...

_There was a knocking at the door, but Donna hooked a finger under his chin, turned his attention away from the door and back to him. “Eyes on me,” she said with a smile and a wink, turning her back and sweeping her hair over her shoulder. Harvey stepped forward, fingertips gripping the zip at the top of her dress and slowly pulling it down, exposing the creamy and bare skin beneath…_

Harvey wakes with a start, his heart pounding as he struggles for breath. The room is dark, he’s alone, and he sits, collapsing back on the bed headboard for support.

It was just a dream. Thank fuck. He doesn’t know where the sudden propensity to dream about Donna has come from but he wishes his brain would sort its shit out and just stop it. He suspects he dreams these things because, with all the shitty things happening in his life, his brain thinks that this is what he should want to dream about, that this is what he should want. But he doesn’t. He never has. He knows that Donna does - he’s not stupid - and he can admit that it would make his life so much easier if he could want Donna in that way.

He almost wishes he did. 

There’s a knocking at the door, and Harvey grabs his cell from his bedside table and checks the time. 3.39am. It’s silent for a moment, and Harvey thinks maybe he was imagining it, that it was just a remnant from his dream. That’s certainly the most logical explanation, because who would be knocking on his door at half past three in the morning?

He hears it again.

Confused, Harvey gets out of bed and crosses his dark apartment to the front door. He turns on the hall light as he passes, and when he opens his front door he’s more than a little surprised to see Mike standing on the other side of the threshold.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Mike says sheepishly, before Harvey even gets the chance to ask what he’s doing here.

Harvey shrugs his shoulders. “So?”

Mike heaves out a sigh. “Look, Harvey-”

“It’s three in the morning, Mike, and it’s been a shitty couple of days with Jessica leaving and me wasting precious time trying to help you instead of trying to rebuild my firm, so … you asked me to stop messing with your life so you should probably leave and stop messing with mine.”

Harvey tries to close the door, but Mike reaches out and blocks it half way. “I deserve that. I just want a couple of minutes, and then if you still want me gone then I’ll walk out without another word.”

Harvey should just say no. But that’s always been his problem. From the moment they met he’s been saying yes to Mike, and as much as he wants to, he can’t stop himself now. So he silently opens the door wider, waves an arm to invite Mike in.

Mike heads straight to the sofa and collapses on it. Harvey turns on a lamp so they aren’t sitting there in the dark, but it keeps the light level low, which feels appropriate for whatever this is.

Mike runs a hand through his hair, turning to face Harvey as soon as he joins Mike on the sofa. “I wanted to say I’m sorry-” Mike starts, but Harvey cuts him off with a groan.

“Mike, just stop, I don’t want to hear it, okay. I don’t care that you’re sorry now, I care that for some reason, no matter what I do, how much time I devote to helping you at the expense of my job and pretty much everything else in my life, it doesn’t seem to matter. I’m either not good enough because I can’t get you out of prison quickly enough or you’re pissed because I’m trying to find a way to let you be able to do the one thing you want to do but I just didn’t tell you about it first. So look, you want me to stop trying to help you, you want me to not mess in your life, fine. I’m out. But you can’t have it both ways, so don’t come crying to me when you want something.”

“Harvey-”

“No, I’m not done. You said your piece earlier today without letting me get a word in edgewise, well, now it’s my turn.”

Mike lets out a resigned sigh, nodding. Harvey has so much he wants to say that he’s scared that once he starts he won’t be able to stop. But Mike deserves to hear this, and Harvey deserves to get it off his chest so it doesn’t feel like a solid weight is constantly pressing into him.

“I didn’t even want to hire an associate the day I met you, but you made me go against my better judgement and hire someone with no qualification. And despite everything that’s happened, you take me back to that day and give me the choice again and I’ll make the same damn one. Because you’ve become one of the most important people in the world to me. And I will do anything for the people I love. That’s just who I am. I’m an all in guy, and if you can’t handle that, if you only want it when it’s convenient for you then too bad. You either accept me as I am and don’t question my motives or integrity when it comes to anything I’m doing for you, or we call it quits, tap out right here right now.”

Mike reluctantly meets Harvey’s eyes. “I don’t want that,” he replies, voice low. “You’re one of the most important people in my life too.”

“Then what the hell happened today?” Harvey asks. His tone isn’t angry, he isn’t demanding, he’s just tired and so utterly confused.

“I don’t know,” Mike says softly, turning away and quickly swiping at his cheek. “I can’t explain it. I don’t know if I’m still not quite adjusted to being out of prison, or if I take my frustrations out on you because I think you’re the only one in my life who can take it, or if I’m just an asshole who doesn’t know what a good thing he has…”

Mike looks so torn up and Harvey is so weak when it comes to Mike that he can’t help but want to make him feel better. “Maybe all of the above,” he says lightly, and it has the intended effect, Mike chuckling lightly in response.

“I am sorry, you know,” Mike says earnestly. “You’ve done nothing but believe in me and do everything in your considerable power to help me, and even though I lash out and overreact I want you to know that I really do appreciate it.”

Harvey nods. “Apology accepted.”

Mike sinks back into the sofa. They sit there silently for a moment, but it’s not tense. “I couldn’t make my brain stop,” Mike says. “I was lying in bed and my mind just kept going in circles. I want to help people, but I can’t be a lawyer. Or a teacher, it seems. Or any other profession that has a tick box on the application form asking if I’ve ever been convicted of a felony, and I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with that. And when I wasn’t thinking about that I was thinking about you, and how if I fucked up the most important relationship in my life I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

In Harvey’s defense it is just shy of four am, so he thinks he can be indulged when he presses, “ _The_ most important? What about Rachel?”

“I wouldn’t have even met Rachel if it wasn’t for you. Everything I have that’s good in my life came from you. And yeah, things are shitty right now, for both of us, and I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry Jessica left. I’m sorry I can’t be who you want me to be. But you know what?”

“What?”

Mike smiles at him, and Harvey realizes how much he’s missed seeing it. “I think as long as we have each other, we’ll be fine.”

Harvey can’t help but smile at that. “Now there’s the eternal optimist I know and love.”

Mike makes a playful bow, and Harvey, a realest at best, believes in this moment that as long as they’re together - whether that means working together or just being there for each other as friends, and in his heart of hearts he knows it’s probably going to be the latter - that they can get through anything. He reaches over and squeezes Mike’s hand, and in the low light of Harvey’s living room Mike squeezes back, and everything feels okay.

“We’ll work it out, Mike. We always do.”

Harvey waits until Mike nods in agreement before withdrawing. He rubs at his face, and Mike winces, says, “I’m sorry for waking you.”

“You didn’t. I had a … bad dream.”

Mike makes a face. “That sucks.”

Harvey nods absently.

“I should let you go, let you get some sleep,” Mike says, but he doesn’t stand, and even in the soft light Harvey can see Mike is reluctant to leave.

“After what I was just dreaming, I’m really don’t think I’d be able to get back to sleep anyway. It’s late. You can stay if you want.”

Mike smiles softly, and then turns his body fully to face Harvey as he says, “You know, when I was teaching those kids, I made a joke about how every movie I’ve ever seen about a substitute teacher starts with them writing their name on the board, and you know what I realized?”

Harvey has no idea where this is going, so he shrugs and says, “What?”

“I haven’t watched a movie in a really fucking long time.”

Harvey barks out a laugh at that. He grabs the remote off the coffee table and says, “What do you want to watch?”

Mike kicks off his shoes and they settle back into the couch as he says, “Dealer’s choice.”


	133. third time isn’t lucky when it’s meant to be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by the events in 6x13 but not strictly canon.

The first time it happened, Harvey saw it coming even before Mike did.

When Harvey arrived at the church he told Ray that they just needed to wait for a bit, that they’d be making a cross state trip within the hour. He didn’t even bother walking into the church, he just stepped out of the car and waited, right there on the sidewalk.

The only surprising thing about the day was how long it took for Mike to come rushing out of the church doors. Harvey thought they’d be on the road by now, but he didn’t begrudge Mike in the least. This was the hardest thing Mike was ever going to have to do, of course he wanted to take all the time he could, while he still had it.

When Mike emerged and saw Harvey standing there waiting for him, there was a flash of surprise before his face melted into rueful acceptance. “How’d you know?” Mike asked.

Harvey just looked at him, incredulous. “I know you,” Harvey replied, and it was enough.

They got in the car and Ray started driving, already knowing the destination. It was going to be a long drive, ninety minutes of the nerves and anticipation ratcheting up to boiling point. Harvey wanted to distract Mike, but every idea he came up with was too lame to say out loud, so in the end he left it up to Mike.

“Talk to me,” Harvey said gently.

Mike huffed out a laugh. “That must be the first time you’ve ever asked me to tell you about my feelings. Normally you run for the hills whenever I get within five feet of the topic.”

Harvey smiled slowly. Even in his darkest moment Mike was giving Harvey shit. It was stupid, but it somehow made Harvey think that maybe things would be okay. “Well, you’ve got-” he checked his watch, “-seventy minutes to spill feelings all over me without me complaining. When are you gonna get an offer like that again?”

Mike smiled weakly at him, but didn’t reply straight away, so Harvey started to worry it was all for naught.

“Rachel’s going to hate me.”

Harvey rolled his eyes. That girl was crazy about Mike and anyone could see it. “No, she won’t.”

“I’m not going to ask you to look after her while I’m gone, because that would be patronizing and she doesn’t need it. But … just, look out for her?”

“Of course.”

Mike spent the next few minutes looking out the window. “I’m scared,” he whispered, and Harvey could feel his heart splitting into a thousand pieces.

Harvey wanted to tell Mike that everything was going to be fine, but he couldn’t lie to him like that. He wanted to tell Mike that he was scared too, that he was terrified that prison was going to change Mike. And for all that Harvey gave Mike crap in the early days of their relationship, as much as he tried to mould and better Mike, the truth was that he didn’t need it. Mike was perfect the way he was, flaws and all, and he didn’t want prison to beat the goodness out of Mike like it had so many others.

But he didn’t say any of that. This was about Mike, not Harvey, so instead he slowly reached over to where Mike’s thumb was continually tapping against his thigh. He covered Mike’s hand with his own, squeezing it, and before he could pull away Mike gripped back, holding onto Harvey like a lifeline.

They stayed that way for the remainder of the drive.

When the car stopped outside of Danbury Mike immediately got out of the car, like a man on a mission. Harvey, confused, hustled to catch up, and he was barely out of the car before Mike was there, throwing his arms around Harvey in a hug. Harvey immediately wrapped his arms around Mike, holding him tight.

“I’m sorry for hitting you,” Mike murmured.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“And I need you to know, no matter what happens in there, I don’t regret it. Not a single day. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it was worth everything that’s happened since.”

Harvey felt himself welling up, but he tried to push it back down. He needed to be strong, for Mike. “I’m getting you out of there, Mike. I swear it.”

Mike nodded, said, “Okay,” and then he pulled away, turning and walking into the prison without looking back.

*

The second time it happened, Harvey was completely blindsided.

The wedding, though small, had been planned for months. The caterer had been booked, dresses and suits carefully chosen, an uncle of Rachel’s had been enlisted to perform the ceremony, Harvey had combed through his record collection to find the best music to be played at the party…

Mike never said a word.

Harvey had taken Mike to Vegas for a five day bachelor party two weeks prior to the big day. It was just the two of them, and they’d spent their days exploring, going to the Grand Canyon and the Neon Museum and Red Rock Canyon. Harvey even managed to get Mike onto a golf course, which of course he sucked at, much to Harvey’s delight. And then they spent their nights on the town: eating fabulous food, drinking, gambling with obscene amounts of money and winning more often than not because of Mike’s genius brain. There might have even been a tipsy skinny dipping session late one evening in the hotel pool. They had an amazing vacation, and throughout all that, the days and nights they spent together, the copious conversations that they had, Mike never once mentioned that he was having second thoughts.

Mike was staying at Harvey’s place the night before the wedding. Harvey always thought the whole ‘not seeing each other before the wedding’ tradition was a stupid holdover from the days when the bride and groom hadn’t even met and thus wasn’t really relevant anymore. But it wasn’t his wedding, so he didn’t judge, he just said yes when Mike asked if he could stay over the night before.

And then Harvey woke up in the middle of the night to see Mike sitting at the foot of his bed.

He didn’t scream, but he did sit up with a start, letting out a breathy, “Jesus, Mike,” as he waited for his heartbeat to return to normal.

“Sorry,” Mike said softly, “didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“You’re a bit late for that,” Harvey replied.

And then, because they were both utter nerds, they whimpered in unison, a near perfect imitation of Madeline Kahn in Clue. It helped ease the tension for a moment, until Harvey remembered that Mike was sitting in his dark bedroom at - he checked his alarm clock - 3.11am on the morning of the day he was going to marry Rachel.

Harvey pulled the covers aside, shuffled down the bed until he was sitting with Mike. “What’s wrong?”

Mike didn’t even try to pretend, he didn’t pause or stammer, he just came right out and said it. “I don’t think I can do this.”

There was only one thing he could be talking about, but still, Harvey needed to be sure. “Do what?”

Mike looked up at him, and even in the low light of the room Harvey could see Mike’s face twisted with resignation. “You know what.”

Harvey didn’t even know where to start with this. They were fifteen hours from Rachel walking down the aisle - or across the apartment floor, as it were - and not once had Mike expressed any kind of uncertainty or indecision. How did they get here? “What happened? How long have you felt this way? Why haven’t you said anything before now?”

Mike slowly and silently reached up to cup Harvey’s face, the touch light on his skin. Harvey, too surprised to do anything, remained frozen in place for fear of any movement shaking them out of this moment. Mike’s thumb moved back and forth over the arch of his cheek for a moment, before the touch shifted, and he lightly but deliberately brushed his fingertips across Harvey’s lips before dropping his hand entirely.

Harvey couldn’t breathe.

“ _Oh_ ,” Harvey finally said at last. Such a simple word, yet it somehow managed to adequately convey all the conflicting emotions whirling within him.

“I tried to ignore it,” Mike said. “I really did. I tried to focus on Rachel and how amazing she is and the life that we could build together. But the more I tried the emptier it felt.”

“Mike-”

“I’m not expecting - I know you didn’t want this, that you don’t feel the same. I just … I don’t think I can pretend anymore. It’s not fair, to any of us. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…”

Mike looked away again, trying to hide the tears Harvey knew were there. He took a moment, one last moment in this life, before he said goodbye to everything he knew as his whole life changed. And then, with a deep breath, Harvey slid his fingers gently around the back of Mike’s neck, softly saying his name.

Mike slowly lifted his head, and as much as he wanted to just close the small gap between them and kiss him, he couldn’t, not yet. “Don’t be sorry. Not to me, anyway. Be sorry when you tell Rachel that you can’t marry her. And then come back, come home to me.”

Mike’s eyes widened. “Are you saying that-”

“That I hated every single second that I had to pretend I was happy that you and Rachel were getting married because I loved you so much the only thing I could do was stand back and let you be happy without me? Yeah, that’s what I’m saying.”

Mike smiled, slow and beautiful, the look of someone getting the one thing they always wanted and never thought they could have. Harvey couldn’t help but mirror it.

He wasn’t stupid enough to think this was going to be smooth sailing. Mike was about to break Rachel’s heart, Louis and Donna would no doubt come down on her side, and working together in the immediate future was going to be tense, to say the very least. But despite all that, when Harvey trailed his hand down Mike’s forearm, tangled their fingers together, he knew that they’d get through it. Together.

*

The third time, well, the third time Harvey was terrified of it happening at all, of history repeating itself.

He’d been the one to propose. It felt only right, not just because the last time Mike proposed to someone it didn’t work out, but because he never thought he’d ever be proposing to anyone, ever. Mike was the exception to every rule Harvey had ever had, and he couldn’t be happier about it. So Harvey proposed, forswearing all the typical traditions that came along with it. Traditional had never worked for them anyway, so why bother starting now? Instead, Harvey proposed during sex, and it went like this:

They were naked but for Mike’s left sock, in their bed in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon, having told their coworkers they were off to _a very important meeting_. Mike was beneath him, legs curled around him as Harvey moved inside him. Their bodies rocked together, a momentum that kept building. The room was loud with the sound of skin on skin, their panting breaths, Mike urging Harvey to go faster, deeper. Harvey obliged, as always, and he leaned down to lick into Mike’s open mouth.

“Marry me?” Harvey asked.

Mike smiled, gripping at Harvey to pull him closer, but said, “No.”

“Why not?” He didn’t stop moving, couldn’t even if he wanted to, not that he really wanted to. He wanted to live and die here.

“Because when people ask how we got engaged I’m not telling them that you proposed while you were fucking me.”

“Would you prefer we tell them it was while _you_ were fucking _me_?” Harvey grinned.

Mike groaned, head thrown back. Harvey pressed his mouth to the pale column, leaving a trail of open mouthed kissed before grazing his teeth along the tender skin.

“I’d prefer there was no sex involved in our proposal story.”

“Okay, we can tell them whatever you want. Just … say yes.”

“ _Yes_ ,” Mike whimpered, and he kept saying it, over and over, right up until they both came.

They told people Harvey proposed over a romantic dinner, with candles and roses and all the other clichés people seemed to enjoy so much. And they’d smile at each other, remembering how it had actually happened, and it felt like old times, a secret only they knew.

But when it came time to start planning the wedding, Harvey stalled. He felt guilty for thinking badly of Mike, but Mike had a history of running out on weddings before they happened. He didn’t think he’d survive Mike leaving him like that, and he’d never respected Rachel Zane for her ability to rebuild a life after something unimaginable happened more than he did in this moment.

So when they started talking about wedding options Harvey was, understandably, reluctant. Every idea they came up with sounded wonderful, in theory, but in the end all Harvey could do was picture whatever scenario they were discussing and Mike leaving him at the center of it, alone.  

It didn’t take long for Mike to figure out what was wrong. He knew Harvey better than anyone, after all. They were having another conversation about possible ideas - this time it was flying to Hawaii for a destination wedding - and when Harvey was less than enthusiastic Mike said, “You know, if you had’ve told me in those first few months after we first met, that when planning our wedding it would be you worrying about me leaving and not the other way around … I would’ve called you crazy.”

“But the idea of us getting married was completely sane, even back then?”

Mike smiled indulgently at him. “Harvey, the first time Rachel and I had sex was because you and I had been fighting. Trust me, it wouldn’t have been that shocking.”

“You never told me that,” Harvey said, surprised.

Mike waved him off. “It doesn’t matter now, and we’re getting off track. Are you worried I’m going to leave you at the altar?”

Harvey’s silence said more than enough.

Mike let out a heavy sigh. He got up from the table, walked around it, pulled Harvey up from his seat and kissed him soundly. “Look, I know what I did to Rachel was shitty. But it wasn’t that I was running away from her. It was always that I was running _towards you_. So, I know you’ll never ask me, and you’re worried that I’m silently unhappy like I was with Rachel and just not saying it. So let me assuage your fears. You, Harvey Reginald Specter, are going to be my husband, hopefully one day very soon. And we are going to be happy together. Always.”

Harvey kissed him, because how was he supposed to respond with something as inane as words, and they stripped each other as they stumbled to the couch, barely getting naked before Harvey pulled Mike into his lap and they started grinding on each other.

“Next Friday,” Mike said against Harvey’s lips. “City Hall. Just you and me.”

“Sounds perfect.”

And it was. They woke up together in the same bed, dressed in their favorite suits, drove to City Hall in the same car, walked up the steps hand in hand. The wait was longer than they would’ve liked, but then it was time and it was just Harvey, Mike, the celebrant, and a random stranger to act as witness in a small room. Harvey told Mike that meeting him was the best thing that ever happened to him and he’d spend a lifetime and beyond trying to make Mike happy. Mike promised Harvey that now that they’d found each other he was done with running, that he’d found a home in Harvey and he never wanted to be parted from him. They put rings on each other fingers and kissed like it was the first time and signed some forms and it was done, they were married, and everything was as it should be.


	134. breaking rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for goddamnmikeross.

Harvey’s first inkling wasn’t even really an inkling. It was more of a tilted head and a “Huh?” as he approached Jessica’s office to see Mike already in there. Jessica was at one end of the couch, Mike at the other, and they were smiling as they chatted. Harvey couldn’t see any files or paperwork, so he wasn’t sure what they were talking about. And if he didn’t know better he’d think it wasn’t work related.

But Harvey did know better, because what could Jessica and Mike possibly have to say to each other that wasn’t work related? So he walked into the office without a second thought.

They were laughing, and Mike looked over his shoulder at Harvey’s entrance, still smiling. He looked back to Jessica and said, “I’ll leave you to it.” He then stood and walked out of the room without another word, as though the whole thing was totally normal.

*

Harvey and Mike were discussing trial strategy. Heatedly. Okay, let’s call a spade a spade: they were arguing, voices raised as they each tried to convince the other that they were right.

That was the thing about people as smart as Harvey and Mike: they always thought they were right, and were stubborn as hell about it.

Mike ran out of steam first. His face fell as he said, “Why don’t you trust me?”

That wasn’t it. Not at all. Harvey trusted Mike more than anyone in the world. But Mike’s idea, smart as it was, was extremely risky. And when Harvey Specter was calling an idea too risky, then you knew it was bad.

“Mike, you know that isn’t it. I trust you, beyond all others, and I admire your passion. But this could backfire on us so quickly and if he-”

“What’s going on in here?” Jessica demanded. They turned to find her walking into Harvey’s office. “I’ve had three separate calls about you two causing a scene.”

Harvey rolled his eyes. “I hardly think discussing trial prep is causing a scene.”

“With you two, anything is possible.”

For some reason that made Mike smile. And then he said, “It’s fine, Jessica. Harvey was just convincing me of the merits of his plan. That’s what we’re going with. It’s all good.”

“If you’re sure,” Jessica said, and her voice was impossibly soft, as though she was genuinely concerned that Harvey had been bullying Mike about it. Which made no sense, because not only would Harvey never do that (and Jessica knew it), but why was Jessica suddenly so concerned about Mike’s emotional well being?

Mike nodded. Jessica smiled at him before she turned to Harvey and said, “Be nice.”

Harvey could only gape at Jessica’s retreating back.

*

Harvey started to get suspicious when he saw Mike and Jessica outside of work together one morning.

He had an early meeting, and ordinarily would’ve gone straight to his client’s office, but he’d forgotten some paperwork on his desk so had to come into work first to collect it. As he was leaving the building he noticed Jessica’s car pulling up to the curb down the street. A minute later, as he stood by the side of the road, idling looking around while he waited for Ray, he looked back and saw not only Jessica but Mike enter the building. Together.

They looked chummy, both holding cups of coffee in their hands while they walked and talked. Whether they just happened to meet up in front of the building or they arrived together, Harvey couldn’t say. But what he did know was that something was going on. And he didn’t like it.

*

Harvey watched.

He’d never been a dismissive or unobservant man. You didn’t get to be the best closer in the city - not to mention a damn fine poker player - without being able to pick up on the little things. And yet, the more he made a point of looking for any sign of a changing relationship between Mike and Jessica, the more he couldn’t help but wonder if, when it came to certain people, he didn’t have a massive blindspot.

Because now that he was looking, he noticed all sorts of things. They were much more relaxed around each other than before. Harvey had seen Mike literally turn heel and flee when he saw Jessica approaching before, only now he not only remained in place but smiled warmly at her approach. With some careful yet seemingly nonchalant questioning Harvey discovered that Mike knew Jessica’s coffee order and her favorite breakfast food and even where she lived.

But the final straw, the one thing that convinced him that something was going on that he didn’t know about, came unexpectedly one Friday morning. Harvey and Jessica were sitting on the sofa in his office, strategizing about how to fix Louis’ latest mistake, when Mike walked in. In Mike’s defense, he didn’t just walk in and make himself at home. When he saw they were talking about something that didn’t concern him he turned to leave, but Jessica stopped him, saying they were just about done.

Jessica stood, looking down to Harvey and saying ominously, “Just fix it.”

Harvey nodded, his mind already racing with different ways he could put Louis in his place, to the point where he was so distracted he very nearly missed what happened next.

“I see the devil’s wearing Prada today,” Mike said to Jessica, smiling.

Harvey raised his eyebrows at Mike’s insolence. But Jessica didn’t seem mad or offended. If anything, she seemed amused. “I felt it only fitting. I’ll see you tonight. Don’t be late.”

Mike gasped in exaggerated offence. “When am I ever?”

Jessica just smiled at him as she left Harvey’s office, and Harvey could do nothing but stare after her retreating form, completely baffled.

When Mike looked back to Harvey he seemed genuinely confused by Harvey’s reaction. “What?”

Harvey wanted to demand Mike tell him what the hell was going on, but seeing Mike standing there looking at him like that he just couldn’t bring himself to. And to be honest, he was starting to worry something was going on that really shouldn’t be, and if that was the case it was probably better if he went to Jessica rather than Mike. So instead of demanding the answers he desperately needed Harvey shook his head and said, “Nothing.”

“Okay, well, do you wanna know what my awesome brain discovered while researching last night…”

*

Harvey wasn’t an idiot. He knew something was going on with Jessica and Mike. He just didn’t know what. Every scenario he imagined, every possible explanation he conjured, they all just felt _wrong_. So Harvey decided - he was just going to flat out ask Jessica. He was going to find out if she’s taking advantage of Mike, maybe remind her about the rules Pearson Hardman had against fraternization between ranks that she herself put in place. He’s going to shut this thing down once and for all.

As much as he wanted to storm right over there and demand answers he waited until the following night, remembering Jessica’s comment about them having plans that night. But when he arrived late on Saturday evening and he knocked on Jessica’s apartment door it swung open to reveal someone who wasn’t Jessica on the other side.

It was Mike.

Harvey hadn’t prepared for this, and despite his renowned ability to think on his feet all the possible excuses he could have for being there somehow disintegrated before they became fully formed. He couldn’t have this conversation with Jessica while Mike was here, and Mike just standing there like answering the door at Jessica’s apartment was the most natural thing in the world really didn’t help either.

“Harvey,” Mike said brightly, “what are you doing here? Do you wanna come in?”

Harvey took a step backwards, shaking his head. “Sorry for interrupting,” he muttered.

Mike looked back over his shoulder for a moment before returning his attention to Harvey. “Harvey, it’s-”

But Harvey couldn’t listen, couldn’t hear anything other than the blood pounding in his ears, his whole body seemingly revolting against the sight before him. He shook his head again and turned tail, ignoring Mike’s voice as it called after him.

He made it to the end of the block before he felt someone’s fingers wrapping around his forearm, and he turned to see Mike standing there, breathless from having run after him.

“Harvey-”

“Is Jessica pressuring you?”

Mike seemed taken aback by the blunt non sequitur, staring at Harvey for a moment before he started laughing. “No, of course not, we-”

“Oh, so it’s mutual then? God, Mike, do you know how wrong this is?” he demanded, all the simmering rage he didn’t even know he had within him suddenly exploding.

Mike just looked at him for a moment. “Why is it wrong?” he asked haltingly.

Harvey didn’t actually have any reasons, none that he could articulate anyway. All he knew was this feeling deep in his soul that it was _wrong_.

Mike was raising an eyebrow, waiting, so Harvey said the first thing that came to mind. “Because she’s too old for you.”

“She isn’t that much older than you,” Mike pointed out, as though it was somehow relevant.

“And it’s against the rules.”

“Do you really care about that?”

Harvey tried to come up with another reason but his mind was completely blank. He tried, started several sentences that were abandoned after a couple of words when he realized he didn’t have anything to follow them up with, and after a few aborted attempts Mike took a step forward, putting his hands up to get Harvey to stop stuttering.

“Harvey, do not interrupt me this time, just let me explain, alright?”

Harvey reluctantly agreed, bracing himself to hear about how he and Jessica were working together late one night and how one thing lead to another and then…

“We aren’t sleeping together. We aren’t dating or in a relationship or anything like that, okay? We watch Meryl Streep movies together. That’s it.”

It took a few moments for Harvey to try and work out what Mike was talking about, because it sounded like he just said that they hang out and watch Meryl Streep movies together, and that couldn’t possibly be right.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Remember when I helped Jessica on the VTIS lawsuit?” Harvey nodded, so Mike continued, “Well, we were working together in her office one night and I was reading through depositions and one of the employees names was Madeline Ashton. It was late, I’d had way too many Red Bulls, so without even thinking I just said, out loud, ‘ _My Ass! I can see my Ass!_ ’ - because Madeline Ashton was the name of Meryl Streep’s character in-”

“Death Becomes Her,” Harvey supplied.

“Exactly,” Mike grinned. “Anyway, so I said the line, and without even blinking Jessica responded with ‘ _And there’s something really wrong with your neck too_ ’. So we started talking about the movie and how much we loved it, which other Meryl movies we loved and so on, and it sorta … somehow … evolved into us having movie nights to work our way through her entire back catalogue.”

It was the most ridiculous thing Harvey had ever heard in his entire life, but he also knew it was the truth. He felt suddenly stupid for imagining the worst, and he sheepishly admitted, “That is not what I was expecting.”

“I know,” Mike said, chuckling. “You thought we were having an affair or something. And you sounded kinda jealous about it actually.”

“I did not,” Harvey automatically exclaimed, but when Mike continued to look skeptically at him Harvey took a moment to really think about it - all of his confusing feelings, his ridiculous behavior - and he realized that they only really make sense if Mike was right, if he was jealous. “Okay, maybe I was a little jealous.”

Mike’s eyes widened, like he was surprised that Harvey admitted as much and didn’t want to scare him into taking it back. “Just to be clear,” he said, taking a small step forward, “it’s not because you’re secretly in love with Jessica, is it?”

Harvey couldn’t stop the slow quirk of his lips into a smile even if he wanted to. “No.”

“So all those things you said, the reasons for not being able to have a relationship, did you mean them?”

“Yes, I meant them. And they’d apply just as much to you and me as they’d apply to you and Jessica.”

“Oh,” Mike said, deflated.

But then Harvey leaned forward and kissed him. Mike made a noise of surprise before getting with the program, wrapping his arms around Harvey’s shoulders and pressing their bodies together and shamelessly deepening the kiss. Harvey’s head spun, completely overwhelmed by how right it felt to have Mike like this. And even though he’d only just realized he’d wanted Mike in this way it still felt like he’d been waiting for this for a long time, his whole life actually.

When they finally broke apart, foreheads pressed together and breathing the same air, Harvey said, “Just because those reasons exist doesn’t mean I’m going to listen to them.”

Mike huffed out a laugh. “We’ve been breaking rules since the day we met. Why stop now, right?”

“Right,” Harvey agreed, kissing him again.


	135. Chapter 135

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written post 6x14 and inspired by the promo for 6x15 as well as these posts: [x](http://heytheredeann.tumblr.com/post/157325082304/rachel-to-harvey-in-the-promo-this-time-you) [x](http://heytheredeann.tumblr.com/post/157325590864/mellow-maromi-ha-risposto-al-tuo-post-rachel-to)

“This time, _you_ take the fall.”

Harvey stares at her for a moment, and then he laughs. His whole body shakes with it, a reaction far too extreme for the circumstances, but one that comes from hearing something so ridiculous and borderline offensive that it’s the only reaction he has. Rachel looks at him, confused, and it just makes him laugh all the more, hysterical sounds that echo around his otherwise still apartment.

Once he’s calmed down slightly he tries to speak between the occasional burst. “Are you - are you fucking kidding me?”

Rachel looks sternly at him. “This isn’t funny, Harvey.”

“Oh, on the contrary, I think it’s fucking hilarious that you’re telling me I need to take the fall for Mike. Like I haven’t already tried to a thousand times before.”

“Harvey-”

“No, Rachel. I don’t know what Mike has or hadn’t told you, so let me be clear. From the moment Mike first got in trouble from Woodall I told him - no, begged him - to point the finger at me. He refused. When he got arrested I did everything in my power to help him, and when it was too late for that I tried to take his place. He wouldn’t let me. We came to literal blows, and he still wouldn’t let me take the blame for the crime we both committed. And when he decided he was ready _I_ was the one that drove him to that godforsaken place and watched him walk in. So how dare you stand there and tell me to take the fall like I haven’t been trying to do that since day one.”

Rachel at least has the grace to look chastised. “I’m sorry, Harvey. I didn’t know. But you have to understand. Seeing Mike like that, being parted from him for so long, I can’t go through that again.”

“And you think I can?”

Rachel shakes her head. “It’s not the same. You’re not in love with him like I am.”

Harvey lets out a heavy sigh. “Rachel, when Mike was in prison I spent every waking moment trying to get him out. I made shady deals and let go of what little moral integrity I had left - did it gladly, in fact. I busted him out of prison to see you. I did everything in my power to get him out, all while you were off working on a different case.”

“I was trying to save a man’s life,” Rachel protests.

“So was I! Only the man I was trying to save was the man we both love.”

Rachel just stares, dumbfounded at Harvey’s confession. She attempts to speak several times but nothing ever comes of it. And Harvey, he’s too tired to deal with this now. Trying to get Mike into the Bar hasn’t been easy going and it just got a whole lot worse and yet he still wants to try. For Mike. For the life he deserves to lead.

“Don’t worry, Rachel,” Harvey says quietly. “I’m no threat to you or your relationship. Anyone with functioning eyes can see Mike is head over heels for you. Just … just don’t think I don’t worry about this all going wrong. Because I do. More than you know.”

Rachel nods, averting her gaze like a shamed child. She nods, and starts walking towards the door. But halfway there she turns back to Harvey and says, “Mike’s really lucky to have you.”

Harvey nods, accepting the olive branch for what it is, and then she leaves, leaving Harvey alone in his apartment. He heads to his wet bar, pours himself a drink, and for a moment allows himself to wallow, to lament over his unrequited feelings. It lasts as long as it takes for him to drink his scotch. And then he’s back to work. Mike needs saving, after all.


	136. Chapter 136

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/157420412532/mike-walked-into-harveys-office-collapsed-onto#notes) gifset.

Mike walked into Harvey’s office, collapsed onto the couch, and threw his arm over his face.

“That good, huh?” Harvey smirked.

Mike removed his arm, if only to glare at Harvey. “I swear, it’s like as soon as you say ‘same sex wedding’ people change before your very eyes. They either close off and avoid eye contact and suddenly the venue has doubled in price, or they go wide eyed and tell you about how their sister’s friend’s third cousin once removed is gay and how wonderful it is that we finally have the same rights. Just once I’d like someone to simply nod and smile and then continue on as though nothing had changed.”

“Is this is a good time to remind you that I suggested, on multiple occasions, that we hire a wedding planner?”

“Please don’t. I’ve been to four different venues today and they all sucked and I have a headache and I hate everything,” Mike groaned, putting a hand to his head and rubbing at his temple.

“Even me?” Harvey asked innocently.

“Yup. If you hadn’t been an amazing man and the love of my life and proposed to me in the most heartfelt and romantic way possible I wouldn’t be in this situation. I blame you.”

Harvey chuckled. He took a moment to gaze indulgently at Mike, sprawled over his couch as though he belonged there. Which he did. They might not work together anymore, but they’re finally in a place where they’re both okay with that. It probably helped that they got together around the time their last ditch effort to get Mike into the Bar fell apart. But failing to get Mike to become a real lawyer turned out to be the best thing for them. Not only did they get together, but when Mike was fired from the clinic he went back to school and is on his way to getting an actual qualification. He’ll never be a lawyer, but he’ll be an amazing teacher one day.

Harvey moved over to his desk and pulled a bag of M&Ms out of the drawer. He shook them as he headed back to the couch, and Mike sat at the noise, grinning and making grabby hands at him. Harvey handed them over with a smile, sitting in the spot where Mike’s feet had just been (an indulgence he allowed Mike and Mike alone).

Mike ripped open the bag, pouring them into his cupped hand. He offered them to Harvey, who took a couple, and they sat there eating quietly together, arms and legs pressing together.

“What about a destination wedding?” Mike suggested. “You and me on a beach in a far flung country…”

Harvey shook his head. “I hate the beach.”

“What?!” Mike exclaimed.

“What?”

“You hate the beach?”

“Yes. Why, do I look like someone who _likes_ the beach?”

“You look like someone who would look fucking hot on a beach, half naked and wet.”

Harvey laughed, leaning over and kissing Mike. He tasted like chocolate. Mike smiled against his lips and said, “Fine, no beach.”

“How about a wedding planner?”

“No. We’re doing this ourselves even if it kills me.”

“Well hopefully we’re married before you keel over from stress. I wanna make sure I inherit your panda picture and skinny tie collection and that’ll be much easier if I have some paperwork saying what’s yours is mine.”

Mike laughed at him. “You’re an idiot.”

“Do you feel better at least?” Mike nodded. “That’s all that matters.”

Mike kissed him quickly. “Are you done for the day? I’d like to go home and end my day on a high note.”

“Oh yeah?” Harvey smirked, eyebrow raised. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

“Use your imagination.”


	137. Chapter 137

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this](http://tattooedsiren.tumblr.com/post/158039142718/babyharvey-im-trying-to-close-you-insp-i#notes) gifset.

“I want you to take my clothes off me.”

Mike was joking. He had to be joking. But the punchline never came, and more than that he was looking at Harvey with hope and daring and it really wasn’t a joke.

“Done.”

Harvey stalked towards Mike. There was no other word for it. It was movement full of purpose, of tension, and Mike just stood there, waiting. Harvey tossed the envelope with Mike’s offer - the one he didn’t even look at before saying yes - onto his desk before he made the final step.

He reached up to Mike’s tie.

“I’ve dreamed about getting your awful ties off you since the day we met.”

“They’re not skinny anymore though,” Mike protested.

“Doesn’t mean they’re not still awful,” Harvey grinned.

He removed the tie slowly, hands trembling with it. Mike kept his gaze locked on Harvey’s the whole time. Harvey could barely breathe with Mike looking at him like that.

Once the tie was removed and Harvey reached for the top button he completely expected Mike to crack, to burst into laughter, to tease Harvey and make some kind of joke of it all. Because they obviously weren’t going to do this. But when the button popped clear Mike remained silent. When Harvey undid the second button Mike licked his lips, and Harvey couldn’t take it anymore, stepping back.

“Okay, what’s going on?”

Mike’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“What exactly do you think is going to happen right now?”

“Well I was hoping for some hot office sex; you pushing me into the window or bending me over the desk or even me riding you on the couch. But I figured one of us would chicken out before that happened because, you know, glass walls. At which point we’d get to your place as soon as humanly possible and maybe even make it to your bedroom before we started fucking.”

He said it so boldly, and Harvey wondered when Mike got so confident that he could unabashedly tell Harvey of all the ways he’s fantasized about them having sex in this very room. Harvey, who had never lacked for confidence, could only barely admit to himself that he wanted this. He never would’ve been able to say it to Mike, and he thinks that there’s something right about that. It’s part of the push and pull of their relationship. Whenever someone can’t say something, the other will.

The longer Harvey was lost in thought and not responding to Mike’s declaration - because that’s what it was - the worse Mike looked. He finally tore his gaze away, embarrassed, and muttered, “Don’t worry, we can just pretend this never happened.”

Mike’s voice finally drew Harvey out of his reverie. Still, he said nothing, just turned on his heel and started walking out of the room. When he reached the door and realized that Mike hadn’t followed him he turned to see Mike still rooted in spot.

“Are you coming?” Harvey asked.

“Where?”

“My apartment. Hopefully we can make it to the bedroom. If not, well, I’m okay with that.”


	138. Chapter 138

Mike walked out on his first wedding.

It may have been hastily thrown together, but it was still real. It was in the church he went to as a boy, and whenever he walked through the doors he recalled the Sunday’s he sat in the pews, his parents on either side. Mike didn’t believe too much in the stories Father Walker told, not in the sense of thinking they actually happened. But they were nice stories, and he knew they gave people comfort in times of need.

They were of no comfort him when his parents died.

Even so, he’d always wanted to get married in that church. It was a way to feel like they were there with him, and he loved that Rachel knew as much without him saying a word.

Only when he walked into the church that day, he’d never felt more alone. His parents weren’t here in this holy house. Maybe if they were they could’ve helped him realize sooner the real reason he walked out before he and Rachel could say I Do.

Mike didn’t walk out on his second wedding.

It was held in the home of his best friend, the man he trusted above all others, who changed his life in every which way. Rachel was beautiful and their friends were beaming and Harvey stood there beside him. He didn’t feel his parents there with him, but he didn’t really expect to. The ceremony went off without a hitch, and he and Rachel were finally man and wife.

And then Harvey aborted his best man speech half way through, tipsy and emotional, and when he fled to his bedroom Mike didn’t hesitate, going after him.

The confession was a surprise. How could it not be? Harvey Specter didn’t do emotions, or love, and he didn’t admit to his former protege that he was utterly in love with him, and had been for months, maybe even years. And yet those were the words spilling from his lips, along with the words too late.

Mike sat down on the bed beside Harvey, their arms brushing, and he reached out his hand, the wedding ring glinting obnoxiously even in the low light as he squeezed Harvey’s fingers. It was too late.

Married life wasn’t at all like he expected. He didn’t even know what he expected, but it wasn’t this. It wasn’t going days without seeing each other because between work and Rachel’s schooling they were just too busy. It wasn’t fighting over the most inane things, things that didn’t even matter but seemed to grate on him nonetheless. It wasn’t wanting to flee his apartment to the sanctity of Harvey’s home, but being unable to because things had been weird since the wedding and Mike didn’t know how to make them better.

And then, one day the thought came to him, completely out the blue, a question he didn’t know why he hadn’t asked himself before now. Why had he wanted to get married in Harvey’s apartment? He could understand wanting to get married in the home he shared with his fiance, but why get married at your best friends (admittedly nice) condo when there was an entire city of options out there?

Maybe he’d wanted to get married in the one place that felt like home.

Realizing that changed everything. He couldn’t change things with Harvey, not yet, not while he still wore someone else’s ring. But he also couldn’t stop himself from knocking on Harvey’s door, ignoring his confused expression and simply throwing his arms around Harvey, holding on for dear life.

Mike’s third wedding wasn’t even really a wedding. There were no guests, no witnesses, no parties. There weren’t even any fancy suits, something Mike would’ve thought near impossible given whom he was marrying. But no, it was just Mike and Harvey, standing in the backyard of their summer home in shorts and t-shirts and bare feet, exchanging rings and promises, verbalizing every unspoken vow they’d already made to each other since the day they met.

His parents were smiling down on him that day. Of that Mike was certain.


End file.
